Finnish driver Bottas leaves the Mercedes-Benz team for five seasons, his teammates are no longer Hamilton, and the car is likely to be out of the top.
New season, new start, Bottas, who played as Alfa Romeo driver this season, ushered in the second life of his F1 career and is really fighting for himself.
Under the major changes in the rules of the new season, Hamilton's Mercedes-Benz teammate is no longer the best second boss Bottas, but has become a rising star Russell, and the blessing is still unpredictable.
The 32-year-old Bottas switched from Banba to midstream teams and restarted the new season at Alfa Romeo. If you compare the two teams, Alpha is simply incomparable with Mercedes in terms of racing, engine, team size, financial resources and teammates, but Alpha uses the killer skill to attract Bottas to vote - a long paper.
In the past 5 years with Mercedes," the team only provided a one-year contract every year, and before each time Bottas signed, he had to face different rumors, Bottastan was very tired, "Every year close to the mid-season and summer vacation, rumors will fly all over the sky, and then I renew, this cycle I have experienced 5 times, to be honest, enough, so I confessed to Wolff: I will not sign a one-year contract again." 」
The one-year contract, Bottas felt unappreciated, if he wholeheartedly for the team, the team abandoned him, his hard work will be wasted, so Bottas also admitted: If I only get a one-year contract, I will not make any promises to the team.
Although Bottas is not a world champion, but he has been playing F1 for many years, the strength is obvious to all, falling behind is not a problem, Bottas admits to having been in contact with Williams, but Alpha has always been his first choice, "The whole development plan of Alpha Team makes me very confident, how to improve step by step. However, leaving the Mercedes engine, really and truly leaving the Mercedes, this is the new beginning I want."
In addition, team leader Fred Vasseur was also the soul of the deal. Back in 2008, Bottas tested at ART Juniors, then won two seasons of the F3 Masters and in 2011 won the GP3 Series championship, a staple that served as a stepping stone for him to enter F1, when the leader of the ART team was Vasseur.
"2011 was a pivotal year in my career and all the opportunities for F1 also came from that year. I trust Vasseur's ability, he's a guy who makes everything successful, that's my experience, he treats everyone equally in the team, everyone gets the information they deserve, he's a guy I really admire, he's the biggest reason I've joined Alpha."
Coming to Alpha, Bottas no longer has a boss to serve, because he is the boss. In the 10th year of F1, the team finally surrounded Bottas, from wingman to boss, Bottas felt good, "I enjoy it very much, just like every circle created in the simulator, every opinion, everything is also weighty, the team staff listened attentively." 」
Every driver on the field also aims to win the championship, and now Alpha wants to win the championship like a fantasy, but this is Bottas's ultimate goal. Looking forward to the new season, the goal should be realistic, "the most important thing is to try to score points steadily per station, which is the actual and achievable goal."
When Bottas confirmed his move to Alpha Racing, there were voices from the outside that Bottas' purpose was to retire and make a profit before retirement. In the face of the accusations, the Finnish driver calmly responded, "Of course it is wrong, the reason I stayed is simple, I still love the sport, even if it is not the impact of the race, I am convinced that I have the ability to contribute to the team and help the team continue to improve." 」
How Bottas lived in the Mercedes, according to the above content, did not have a good life but is still alive. Even though his response seems to be a word, but it is a thing of the past, for the old owner, Bottas chose to keep the good memories in his mind, "There are many good things that have happened in the past 5 years, just like countless podiums, it feels very cool!" 」
Bottas at Mercedes is more important to grow, in terms of strength and psychology, to become a stronger and more stubborn driver, and Hamilton is his best learning object. When he stole a teacher around Lord Han, he gradually discovered the gap with the other party, "I understand that Hamilton is another level, and his technique and continuity are also top-notch."
Mercedes used to be recognized as the strongest car, Bottas and Hamilton drove the same car, but they could not compete with each other, and became the most unhappy runner-up under one person. "I also thought about beating Hamilton, but I tried for 5 years and I couldn't do it." He couldn't do it, and he didn't like others to do it, "At least in the near future, I doubt that someone could beat Hamilton with the same car." For some reason, the remark felt like it was directed at Russell.