via Reuters
Formula One F1- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – December 5, 2021 Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton celebrates with the trophy on the podium after winning the race alongside third placed Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
via Reuters
Formula One F1- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – December 5, 2021 Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton celebrates with the trophy on the podium after winning the race alongside third placed Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
Valtteri Bottas joined the Alfa Romeo racing for the 2022 season. Before this, the Finnish driver enjoyed 5 full seasons at the Mercedes AMG team alongside Lewis Hamilton. Although he proved to be a great teammate to the 7-time world champion, he could not win the championship against him. Bottas reflected that he went toe-to-toe against a living legend and was proud of that fact.
via Reuters
Formula One F1 – Mexico Grand Prix – Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City, Mexico – November 6, 2021 Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas celebrates pole position with Lewis Hamilton Pool via REUTERS/Edgard Garrido
In the press conference at the Alfa Romeo livery launch, Valtteri accepted the fact that Hamilton was a better driver. He recognized that he had five good years alongside Sir Lewis Hamilton.
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WATCH STORY: Lewis Hamilton: Ranking His F1 World Titles From 2008 to 2020
Lewis Hamilton definitely made me work hard: Valtteri Bottas
As reported by The Race, the Finnish driver expressed how he was unbeatable on his best days. However, he just didn’t have enough of them.
“I had a great five years with Lewis as his teammate, and now actually thinking about it, it was an honor. Like, he’s a living legend!” said Valtteri.
via Reuters
Formula One F1 – Mexico Grand Prix – Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City, Mexico – November 6, 2021, Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas celebrates pole position with Lewis Hamilton Pool via REUTERS/Francisco Guasco
“And he’s a great guy and a great driver–really fast. He definitely made me work hard to try and beat him. Sometimes I could, but on a season average, I couldn’t. So that’s how it goes. You always meet–eventually–someone who’s better than you and you need to accept it.”
“And I’m fine with it. I’m happy that sometimes when I was at my best that I could beat him. But we came a long way. We achieved so much together, so many 1-2 results.”
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“Five constructors’ championships together. I learned from him about life and about racing, and maybe vice versa as well. So, it was a really good time with him,” said Bottas.
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JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA – DECEMBER 04: Valtteri Bottas of Finland and Mercedes GP prepares to drive in the garage during final practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia at Jeddah Corniche Circuit on December 04, 2021 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Bryn Lennon – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
It is great to see that even after switching teams, the Finnish driver can still look back at his stint with Mercedes fondly. He is a bigger man in accepting that his teammate got the better of him when they went toe-to-toe.
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Hopefully, Bottas can use his experience and learnings from his time at Mercedes at Alfa Romeo. The team would be relying on Bottas to guide them and take them to the midfield of the grid.
READ MORE: Why Do Mercedes Dominate F1?
