Valtteri Bottas reflects on his standout F1 performance and Mercedes’ golden years, marking an era of unparalleled dominance.
In 2019, ahead of the season’s opening Grand Prix, Valtteri Bottas announced the arrival of a ‘Bottas 2.0.’
The Finn was coming off a very challenging year with Mercedes F1: while Lewis Hamilton had secured the championship, Bottas had finished only fifth in the 2018 standings, with no victories.
“I probably had my toughest year with Mercedes the previous season, so I carried quite a lot of frustration,” Bottas explains.
“In 2018, I couldn’t win a single race… I had several podiums and good results, but the wins never came.
“I really wanted to make sure that wouldn’t happen again. I wanted to come back, let’s say, with a big bang, and in the end, I felt like that’s exactly what happened in 2019, which turned out to be my best year in F1 so far.”
“Just before the [Australian] weekend, I felt so ready, so full of energy, and I think, partly thanks to the frustration from the previous year, I managed to turn that into energy—I felt it really showed on track.”
“I changed a few things in my preparation. I started listening to myself more, whether it was about training, nutrition, or anything else. I became a bit more flexible on some points instead of following a rigid path.”
“I was listening to my body and telling myself: ‘Well, today, if I feel like snowshoeing in the Arctic instead of going to the gym, that’s what I’ll do, and I can hit the gym tomorrow.'”
“I began tweaking certain things, including my travel plans, trying to optimize while minimizing extra flights, additional commitments, and so on. Everything fell into place that year, and I think I started giving myself a bit more [freedom], even changing my overall approach to the sport by not taking things too seriously and looking at the bigger picture.”
Indeed, in Australia, at the opening Grand Prix of the 2019 season, Valtteri Bottas returned brimming with energy and determination. While he didn’t outqualify Lewis Hamilton, he was only a tenth of a second behind.
Sunday proved even better than Saturday: Valtteri Bottas outmaneuvered Lewis Hamilton on the first lap—and his teammate never caught up.
Bottas recalls feeling the ultimate sensation for an F1 driver.
“In qualifying, Lewis had the edge, but not by much,” Bottas recounts. “During the race, I managed a better start and took the lead. From Turn 1 to the checkered flag, I stayed ahead… I won by controlling the race and building a gap.”
“As a driver, as an athlete, you’re always chasing that flow state where everything feels under control. Everything almost slows down, you have time to react, to think, and that’s how the entire race felt.”
Crossing the finish line with a 20-second lead, Bottas unleashed his pent-up frustration over the radio with the now-famous: “To whom it may concern, f*** you!”
“It was all the frustration from the previous year coming out,” he reflects in hindsight.
Was this victory in Melbourne a flash in the pan? Perhaps not, as the Mercedes F1 driver led the championship until Baku and claimed two more wins in 2019.
“I think Lewis realized it was going to be a tighter year,” admits Bottas, though he was ultimately beaten by his teammate by a considerable margin that season.
“Australia gave me a lot of confidence. It showed me what I could really achieve when I’m at my peak, and since then, I’ve always been trying to find that peak. It takes time in this sport to learn, but the key is to try and eliminate all external pressures, whether they come from… anyone—people, media, the team—you have to block it all out.”
“The only pressure you need is your own, because that’s usually a positive force you can channel as energy. It’s easier said than done to control those feelings, but this sport is a great teacher, and you learn a lot about yourself.”
The Golden Age of Mercedes F1
The years that were perhaps the most glorious—and the most relaxed—for Toto Wolff at Mercedes F1 were those spent with Valtteri Bottas. Now returning to the team as a reserve driver, the Finn doesn’t miss the chance to highlight his contributions.
“Everyone remembers the victories and the good times,” Bottas shares. “For me, after a few years away from the team, I tend to forget the negative moments or the bad races, and I only hold on to the highlights.”
“It was the golden age of Mercedes, let’s say!”
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