Valtteri Bottas says 2022 will be his ‘most enjoyable’ season since moving to Alfa Romeo F1.
After five successful seasons at Mercedes F1, Valtteri Bottas has had to embrace a whole new perspective on the F1 grid after being let go by the team.
With no other top team available, Valtteri Bottas accepted a seat at Alfa Romeo F1. There, at least he got Chinese rookie Zhou Guanyu as his teammate and became the undisputed team leader.
With Alfa Romeo F1 in a slump in 2021, Valtteri Bottas may have expected to start his first race with the team from the back. However, in fact, on the grid of the F1 Bahrain GP, he was lined up in the third row with Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes F1, his teammate until last year.
Since then, Alfa Romeo F1’s pace has fluctuated somewhat, compromised by reliability issues, but it has never lost the early glow of Valtteri Bottas, revitalized by the new environment.
Valtteri Bottas has scored 41 of Alfa Romeo F1’s 46 points in the first 13 races of 2022, sitting just ninth in the drivers’ standings ahead of Fernando Alonso.
“In the past at Mercedes, usually we only fought one team, so we were focused on those two cars,” said Valtteri Bottas.
“Right now we have six cars around us that need attention, which is great,” he said, referring to recent close races with Alpine, McLaren, Haas, AlphaTauri and Aston Martin.
As a result, Valtteri Bottas says, “This season may be the most fun yet.”
“Okay, maybe I don’t always remember things exactly, but I feel like I’m enjoying Formula 1 more than ever.”
“It’s a lot of fun to race, especially in the midfield how different strategies in the race can make a difference.”
“You can jump more positions with one decision. It’s a different game.”
Valtteri Bottas said not only did he not expect to fight for a team that would win races and championships, but consistency was also a big factor in his newfound enjoyment this year.
Amazingly, despite 10 seasons in Formula 1 since his debut with Williams in 2013, 32-year-old Valtteri Bottas is over a year away from signing a multi-year contract with Alfa Romeo F1. I never signed a contract.
“Even at Williams, it’s always been a year, so this is a first for me,” confirmed Valtteri Bottas.
“This is the first time I don’t have to answer or emphasize questions about the future.”
“It’s certainly not a good thing for a driver not to know.”
Securing a multi-year deal has allowed Valtteri Bottas to relax and “completely concentrate on his work”, which he says has allowed him to enjoy racing in Formula 1 more.
Valtteri Bottas also said Alfa Romeo felt “quite young” and “like a new race team” compared to Mercedes’ professional corporate culture.
“Of course, when I work, I work hard,” added Valtteri Bottas.
“But when I’m off, I can do whatever I want.”
“Life with the team, life in and out of Formula 1 is a really great balance.”
And as part of that balance, Valtteri Bottas has been posting naughty photos on social media. A few days before the F1 Miami Grand Prix, he was nicknamed ‘Bott-ass’ after posting a photo of himself lying naked in a creek with his butt out. The photographic prints were auctioned for 50,000 euros for charity.
Something like that probably wouldn’t have been possible with the Mercedes F1 team.
“I don’t think I would have done it if I was still at Mercedes,” said Valtteri Bottas.
Valtteri Bottas says he doesn’t care much about criticism from fans these days, regardless of what people say about him.
“I don’t care anymore than I used to. That was a nice photo!”
Category: F1 / Valtteri Bottas / Alfa Romeo F1