Bottas seeks fair career appraisal, citing critics’ short memory of his F1 achievements.
Valtteri Bottas has undoubtedly faced one of his most challenging seasons in Formula 1 this year. The Stake F1 driver is still yet to score a point and ranks 22nd among 20 principal and two substitute drivers.
“There are several reasons why we haven’t met our objectives,” Bottas told Motorsport Week. “Obviously, we’ve had a second change in team leadership recently.”
“I think the team has been trying to structure itself for a better future for some time now. Today, with a new leader. Things have not been very stable, and I think that can always impact performance on the track.”
He admits that early-year pit stop issues caused significant delays for the Hinwil team and that there is also turnover within the factory ranks.
“Each season, we’ve had our own issues. This year, at the start of the year, it was the pit stop issues that cost a lot of resources and time to resolve, instead of focusing on improving the car.”
“So, no, the situation has not been very stable in terms of personnel. Recently, people have come in, others have left, so everything is being set up for the future. I think this has cost us some resources.”
“It’s easy to judge” a driver in the C44
The Finn points out that his C44 does not allow him to fully showcase his abilities, and this should be considered in his evaluation: “Yes, it’s not an easy situation for a driver because you have to fight to prove what you can do. If people just look at the results, it’s quite easy to judge them.”
“But the main thing is, I know how I perform, the team knows how I perform, and ultimately, that’s what matters. Those who know the performance of drivers will always see what you can do, what you can achieve if you have the right machine.”
Bottas has not enjoyed his relationship with Andreas Seidl and Oliver Hoffmann, explaining why he felt disrespected: “It’s a tough question. I think if people have a short memory, let’s say with previous leaders, they only saw me in a non-performing car, and nothing else close by.”
“But I think the difference with Mattia is that he was in a fight against us when I was at Mercedes, and he could watch what I could do, and that I could steal points from them, so he knows.”
“As I said, I think we started the discussions the right way, with respect, and that’s what I really appreciate. So we will continue the discussions, but for me, what I want is clear, and what I want is to be in F1 until Audi joins.”
Not having priority over Carlos Sainz at Williams, Bottas accepts that this is how it unfolds: “I think the sport is made this way. People have a short memory in this sport, but as I said, luckily, there are still people who know. So I rely on them.”
- You may also like>Binotto Admits Sudden F1 Exit ‘Very Difficult’
- Also make sure you follow us on social media>Facebook and>Twitter
Bottas Urges Fair Career Judgment Amid Criticism Bottas Urges Fair Career Judgment Amid Criticism
