Valtteri Bottas ‘never fully satisfied’ and reveals mixed feelings as Mercedes career ends

Bottas didn’t win the world title with Mercedes, who he joined in 2017

Valtteri Bottas says he is “never fully satisfied” in Formula 1 but he’s “grown as a driver” under Mercedes.

Bottas departed the team at the end of the 2021 season to join Alfa Romeo. In his time at Mercedes, who he joined in 2017, he wasn’t crowned world champion but he did help teammate Lewis Hamilton to the title.

“Obviously, when I joined the team in 2017 the only thing in my mind was to win the drivers’ championship,” he said, as per GPFans.

“That didn’t happen, but I need to look at the positives. I have grown so much as a driver and as a human being. I’ve learned so much with the team and we have actually achieved pretty cool things together.

“That’s also many many positives that I will take on board. I think in this sport you are never fully satisfied, you know, but I think, five years, I have achieved something and I am sure that will help me in the future.”

And while he may not have achieved the world championship himself, Bottas isn’t bitter that his former teammate Hamilton was the one who claimed the titles.

“It’s definitely a team sport,” he added. “And we always need to work together for that goal that we set at the beginning of the year. Together you are so much stronger than alone.

“You get support from your team-mates and you also support your team-mates. It’s just how it goes. And if every team member gives even one per cent more effort and it’s 100 people, that’s another 100 per cent, so it makes a difference.”