With just half the season underway, Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas‘ place in the team has once again become debatable.
While he was majorly unsuccessful in 2020, this year seems to be another bad one for the Finn.
During a recent interview, Bottas looks back at his time with the Silver Arrows and talks about the kind of pressure he has been under.
What did Bottas say?
“When I came to Mercedes, I followed in big footsteps. After all, I replaced the world champion. You’re always under pressure in this sport, but that was a big step in my career”, Bottas stated in a conversation with Speedweek.
“I always had to make the most of my position to get a contract extension.
“In Formula 1, you have to constantly prove yourself. Over the years you get used to this pressure,” he added.
‘Hamilton adds to the pressure’
Bottas also revealed that a lot of his pressure comes from having to compete with his teammate and seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton.
“It is not easy to be his stable mate. Because he’s pretty quick in qualifying, but above all in the race,” he explained.
“He made me want to get even more out of myself. I know: I can only beat him if I give absolutely everything.
“On the one hand it is extremely exhausting, on the other hand, it is also very motivating,” he stated.
Bottas and his luck
Even after all the racing, two things that still bother the Finnish driver are bad luck and mistakes.
“When the bad luck comes along, I often don’t know whether to cry or laugh”, he mentioned.
“Ultimately, there are things that you cannot influence, so you have to leave it all behind you. What hurts me the most: When I’ve made a mistake myself and know that I could have made more of a race”, Bottas concluded.
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