Bottas left with "mixed emotions" after final F1 race with Mercedes
Valtteri Bottas was left with “mixed emotions” on Sunday in Abu Dhabi as Mercedes’ Formula 1 constructors’ title win was overshadowed by disappointment for Lewis Hamilton’s late defeat.
Photo by: Steve Etherington / Motorsport Images
Mercedes continued its record streak of constructors’ championship victories by clinching an eighth title on Sunday in Abu Dhabi, ending the season 28 points clear of Red Bull. It marked a fifth constructors’ win for Bottas to end his fifth and final season for Mercedes.
Hamilton was passed on the last lap of the race by Max Verstappen after a controversial restart that led to two protests from Mercedes, which has since stated its intent to appeal their dismissal.
While Bottas was glad to have helped Mercedes clinch another constructors’ title, he admitted the overriding feeling post-race was disappointment.
“I'm really proud that we got the constructors, but obviously drivers' championship is a big thing,” Bottas said immediately after the race in the written media pen.
“I haven't seen the team yet. But I'm sure it's the same feeling, that is not quite like we won today. I think we lost today.”
Bottas added: “Every year I've been with a team, we’ve won the constructors’. So I guess I've had to do something! So that's good.
“But still, the overriding feeling now is disappointment for Lewis. But I'm sure once you give me a few days that we'll see the positives.
Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes W12
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
“In any case, that's it now for me and Mercedes and for this chapter, and now it’s for something new. From this weekend, learned a lot and we move on.”
Bottas ended the year third in the drivers’ championship with one race win and 10 further podium finishes, leaving him 36 points clear of Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull car.
While he felt the team would “need a few days” after Hamilton’s title defeat, Bottas was sure the magnitude of its achievement to win the constructors’ would not be lost.
“It is, it is important, and for sure, we appreciate it more after,” Bottas said.
“It's been impressive. For me, five years in a row winning constructors is a big thing. But I'll appreciate it more in the if you asked me on Thursday or Friday.”
Bottas made his first appearance for Alfa Romeo on Tuesday in the post-season Abu Dhabi test, but will not formally part company with Mercedes until the end of the year.
Be part of the Autosport community
Join the conversationShare Or Save This Story
Related video
Has Alonso made the right choice gambling on Aston Martin F1?
Hamilton in the process of selecting Brad Pitt’s co-star for F1 movie
How ‘demanding’ Alonso has started life with Aston Martin
Mooted F1 points system like "putting a plaster on a big cut" - Ocon
Bottas: Permanent fix for Sauber F1 pitstop woes "by Imola"
The high-stakes design theory that Sauber hopes is key to 2024 F1 progress
Mercedes taking action to cure F1 car's “underlying balance” problem
Wolff: Mercedes can't just keep living off F1 ‘bright spots’
The F1 breakthroughs Mercedes made in Japan - and what's next
Bagnaia used Jerez MotoGP practice “as a test” for “big” change
Newgarden “didn’t rehearse” emotional IndyCar press conference
Teams expect Sainz's F1 China qualifying incident to be cleared up
Binder “had my bike back” in Jerez MotoGP practice breakthrough
How studying Tost, Whiting and Binotto shaped F1's latest team boss
The F1 hero to zero dividing line that has never been so thin
How Stroll and Magnussen revealed the scale of F1’s racing and rules problems
Did F1's new sprint format work?
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments