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Valtteri Bottas reflects on his time with Mercedes and says that to “hopefully” win five consecutive constructors’ titles you need “two good drivers”.
Valtteri Bottas will end his time with Mercedes at the end of 2021. The partnership between the Finn and Lewis Hamilton has brought Mercedes four consecutive constructors’ championships and they are currently fighting for their fifth.
Bottas says it is a testament to how good of a team him and Hamilton are.
“I’m proud, and definitely knowing that I’m going to another team, I’ve had time to reflect every now and then on the situation because you know we’ve achieved some pretty special things together,” the Finn told F1’s Beyond the Grid podcast.
“Now four times, hopefully fifth in a row as a constructors’ champion and you do need two good drivers for that.
“And if you look at me and Lewis [Hamilton] as team mates… the amount of points, wins and podiums we’ve got together, for me it’s hard to name a better team.
“I can look in the mirror. I tried, I gave it everything I had.”
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However, Bottas acknowledges that uncertainty about his contract status every year proved to be a distraction for him. He has been racing on one-year contracts since he joined the team in 2017.
“You obviously try to convince yourself that it’s not affecting you and you try to block any negative thoughts, but when there’s a lot of noise – which can happen in Formula 1 – for sure, it’s not helping.
“There is a distraction, but you try to minimise the distraction. Yes, I think there’s been a few times I’ve not really been in an easy situation with the contracts and with extra talk and noise.
“Toto [Wolff] thinks that pressure is good for me… I agree, pressure for a certain length of time is good and it can get more out of you, but if you have pressure contractually for nine years of your Formula 1 career, year by year, it starts to eat you from inside, you know?”
Ultimately, the Finn admits he is disappointed that he never managed to achieve his dream of being world champion with Mercedes.
“For sure, yes, because that’s ultimately… since [I was] a kid, it’s your goal, it’s your dream. It’s been really, really strong in my mind, as a goal, and it’s been a force that has kept me working hard.
“It’s like every day, whatever I do for this sport it’s because of that: I want to be the champion. So yes, in a way, that kind of feels as a failure that I haven’t been able to achieve that with Mercedes.
“But… on the other hand, I’ve tried everything I’ve given everything. So it just wasn’t meant to be.
“At least, for now,” Valtteri concluded.
