Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes, Albert Park, 2019

Bottas: “F*** off” radio remark was spontaneous

2019 Australian Grand Prix

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Valtteri Bottas explained the meaning behind his spur-of-the-moment post-race remark: “To whom it may concern: Fuck you.”

“It just came,” said Bottas after the race. “I just wanted to send my best regards. That’s it, honestly, I didn’t think about it or have it planned. It just came.”

The Mercedes driver bounced back from a win-less 2018 by winning the first race of the new season, and aimed the message at those who criticised him during last season.

“Obviously there’s many people that support you. Honestly I appreciate it a lot with the people around me, supporting me. In sport there’s always ups and downs so you can really see the true support quite easily.

“And then through the difficult times there’s the other part which is a lot more negative and that’s their weakness, so it’s fine.”

However Bottas said some of the criticism he has faced was not necessarily unfair.

“I can’t say unfair because everyone can say whatever they want. But I just thought to whom it may concern maybe they should look in the mirror sometimes and think actually why they do that.”

Bottas described his relief at winning for the first time in over a year.

“It’s really special obviously,” he said. “It’s only my fourth win anyway in Formula 1 and after a win-less 2018 even better. So I’m very, very pleased.

“But it doensn’t happen [just] like that. There’s obviously a lot of work to be able to win and be able to be in that kind of pace. Obviously for winning you need a good car and as a team we’ve been able to do it even after quite difficult winter testing. Here we’re quicker than expected, it made it possible.

“From my side I have to say it was the best race I have done so far in my career.”

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49 comments on “Bottas: “F*** off” radio remark was spontaneous”

  1. I love your new attitude, Valtteri. Best regard.

  2. A “Bad Ass Bottas” for 2019?
    Cool :)

  3. I hope he keeps up the momentum throughout the year

  4. Toto Wolff part of the group for sure. Bottas said at the time he was quite hurt by the wingman comment.

  5. Thata boy Valtteri.. You tell them!

  6. A feisty Bottas? Me likey!

  7. :p “Not bad for a #2.” attitude. I hope he can do a Nico on Lewis. Otherwise this season will be terrible.

    1. @jureo

      Yes. If Ferrari or Red Bull don’t improve Bottas is the only hope to challenge Hamilton.

      Glad to see him win.

      1. I think we need everyone to challenge Hamilton to have a great season.

        1. Hamilton wont be perpendicularly challenged by cars that finish 7 tenths behind him in Quali. He is too good a racer. But a good teammate in equal machinery?

          Nico had a string of 9 wins in a row and that was barley enough. So Bottas needs now round 5 wins in a row.

          I struggle to believe Ferrari can make up that deficit. Maybe RedBull can?

          1. 9 in a row for Rosberg? When did that bloody happen?

  8. David Hugh Graham Cameron
    17th March 2019, 12:17

    Badass, hard drinking Bottas…Toto likes it, and clearly its working :-D

    Good on him though, he’s absolutely right, that was the most dominant race of his career, will be interesting to see if he keeps it up and if he does how Hamilton will react given the fall-out between him and Nico when he dared to start challenging for wins…

  9. Sounds like what the media was writing about Bottas last season really got to him. Glad to see him spurned and motivated to set the record straight. I’m like Bottas version 2 already.

  10. Badass Bottas is the best bottas

    1. Lol good nickname

  11. Verstappen attitude from Bottas lol
    I’m actually happy lol

  12. I see this as a measure of the extra preassures Bottas was under following a winless year.
    Mercedes would have been all too aware.

  13. Villeneuve, maybe…?

  14. Finally some attitude from the robot, both on track and in person!

  15. There’s been a transporter accident somewhere. This is Mirror-Bottas. May he stay long and continue winning!

    1. @rocketpanda That explains the beard then.

      1. Fear the Beard!

  16. georgeboole (@)
    17th March 2019, 14:40

    Do we have a new Kimi here?
    Glad he won. He really needed it and more than everyone he deserved it.

  17. Great early signs from Bottas. Really wish that he can keep it up!

  18. Thinking about it, maybe that particular remark was aimed at Ocon… ?

    1. Ocon is there to take his seat if he doesn’t perform, but Ocon wouldn’t be the one making that decision, so I don’t think it’s that personal.

  19. 7a
    Rimi Drive

  20. He’s definitely had some criticism the last two years, unfairly or not (mostly the latter), but in the end that ‘f message’ is to his own unconfident self. Good to hear. Now keep it up.

    1. That’s exactly what I was thinking when I read the article.

  21. While I respect the attitude (and the performance), and concede Bottas was winning two races last year right up until he didn’t (for reasons beyond his control), the truth is it’s all too easy to criticize his performance in 2018, without any necessity of introspection. Of the top 6 drivers, he was only able to beat Ricciardo, who had *7* more retirements than Bottas.

    Glad to see he’s driving better at the start of the season– if he can keep it up in the face of adversity, he’s got a shot at the title. If not, Ocon will.

  22. The Merc looks like it has a disc in the front. Looks weird.

    1. My old Discman! Well glad to see it’s been recycled and put to good use.

  23. Bottas is just trying to make sure he gets on the Nextlix show.

    1. @dmw: LOL! Quote of the Year. (So far).

      1. BlackJackFan
        18th March 2019, 4:08

        +1

    2. @dmw Well played, sir. Salty Bottas is best Bottas.

  24. The wingman just flapped his wings for the first time. Now some rossie mind games on ham and he will feel the pressure again.

  25. I think his seat is under serious threat from Ocon… and this is whom he may be referencing…

  26. ‘Valtteri Badass’ is a much better nickname than the usual ‘Flying Finn’ nonsense. ;-)

  27. From winless to wingless!

  28. Go, go, go Mr. Nice Guy! Show the rest of F1 world you got what it takes to be a F1 champion. Good luck, Valtterie, in Bahrain Grand Prix.

  29. Tough guy image doesn’t suit him

    this mask will wear off sooner than later

  30. BlackJackFan
    18th March 2019, 4:17

    “Sounds like what the media was writing about Bottas last season really got to him.”

    And, so it should… Bottas was not good last year, nor, imo, in 2017 – ignore the individual details, just overall – his was a sombre, lacklustre couple of years.
    Maybe BOT should be grateful for the comments he received, and pull himself up by his bootstraps… which is exactly what he seems (so far) to have done – and good luck to him. I’m pleased for him. And today he deserved all he got…

    But… this remark strikes me he’s still upset/angry with last year’s comments (as was Webber: “Not bad for a No.2…!) so he has yet to fully pull himself up – which is worrying.
    I’m not into predicting (unlike so many others… ;-) but I fear BOT will not be able to keep up the momentum, against the combined might of HAM, VET & VER…

  31. wow Bottas uses the f word and some ppl hail it. hamilton speaks his mind and he gets annihilated. am i seeing double stsndards?

    1. BlackJackFan
      18th March 2019, 9:05

      Of course… The internet probably couldn’t exist without it… ;-)

    2. It’s called the Great White Privilege and people are doing preposterous things all over the world to protect it. Nothing surprising here.

      If Lewis did this people would be calling for him to be stripped of all 5 titles.

      1. BlackJackFan
        19th March 2019, 1:43

        Ah… the old racist excuse, rears it’s ugly head, again…

  32. Obvious troll is obvious. Go away troll.

  33. And you thought “Leave me alone , I know what I’m doing” made a great T Shirt …

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