P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Bottas “in denial for five years” at versus Hamilton at Mercedes F1
After Nico Rosberg’s unexpected retirement, Valtteri Bottas joined Mercedes in 2017, partnering with Lewis Hamilton until his move to Sauber (now Alfa Romeo) in 2022. During their time together, Hamilton achieved 50 victories and four drivers’ championships, while Bottas secured 10 wins. Bottas admitted that to compete against Hamilton, he had to be in denial and believe in himself, which he maintained for almost five years. It wasn’t until his final season at Mercedes in 2021, when he knew he was leaving the team, that he began to accept certain things. Bottas acknowledged that Hamilton was better than him in certain areas, which was difficult for him to admit as a racing driver. He likened Sergio Perez’s experience against Max Verstappen at Red Bull, and when asked if he needed constant reassurance from Mercedes, he said that everything was based on facts and open discussions. Bottas had no regrets about his time at Mercedes, despite being on year-to-year contracts, recognizing that he needed to be a team player to fight for the title.
