© Steve Etherington for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
Valtteri Bottas says he “got to know Lewis pretty well as a human being as well, not just as a Formula 1 champion”, in five years they have been team-mates.
In a year-end interview Valtteri Bottas talked to GPFans about working with Lewis Hamilton as a team-mate at Mercedes.
“I’ve been in a position that I’ve got to know Lewis pretty well as a human being as well, not just as a Formula 1 champion, and learned that he fully deserves everything he’s achieved,” the Finn said.
“He’s got the talent, but then he puts that into good use and he works really hard.
“Obviously, his lifestyle is also different in a way that, he might be in New York just a day before the race weekend, whatever, doing other things.
“But when he is in his working mode and in this Formula 1 mode, he’s never leaving any stone unturned and he’s always pushing the team a lot.
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“I feel like in the last few years, he’s been more in a lead role, and for me, it’s been quite difficult to try and take a lead role, because he’s been, obviously, here before and he’s pretty dominant in the way he works with a team.
“Also, setting up the car for sure, I’ve learned a few things, but also many [other] things.”
Valtteri, who has been known to perform very well in qualifying, reveals Lewis copied his setup on more than one occasion.
“Many times he had to copy my setup for the qualifying last minute.
“Driving style-wise, tyre management is one of his big strengths, and in any condition and circumstances, he always finds a way how to be able to extend a stint or the best way to efficiently keep the tyres in a good condition.
“That race pace and tyre management part has probably been the biggest difference between me and Lewis and consistency is what he’s had with those things,” Bottas concluded.
