Lewis Hamilton hailed Valtteri Bottas as the best team mate he’s had following today’s confirmation he will leave the team at the end of the season.
Mercedes have sustained their run of constructors’ championship titles since Bottas replaced Nico Rosberg in their line-up at the beginning of 2017. They delivered their seventh consecutive title last year, while Hamilton took his fourth drivers’ crown in a row.“I’m immensely proud to have worked alongside Valtteri Bottas for the last five years,” wrote Hamilton in a social media post. “Together we’ve been part of a team that has delivered four constructors’ championships and we’ve motivated one another to keep pushing through the ups and the downs. He has been the best team mate I’ve had the pleasure of working with.”
Bottas will race for Alfa Romeo next year, leaving a vacancy alongside Hamilton which is widely expected to be filled by George Russell.
Hamilton told his team mate: “Your speed and resilience has been impressive but where you truly stand out to me is the human being you are. You are greater than you know and I know there’s a bright future ahead for you.
“Thank you Valtteri for all of your support and amazing contributions to this team. You will be missed. I wish you all the best for your future endeavours. Let’s finish off strong and get that eighth [title] for the team.”
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Sonny Crockett (@sonnycrockett)
6th September 2021, 15:46
The “you are greater than you know…” line stands out for me.
Valtteri doesn’t have enough belief in his own abilities.
OOliver
6th September 2021, 15:53
That is the problem. He appears to doubt himself midway through races, weekends and season. He has the speed and the ability but not the full conviction.
Proesterchen (@proesterchen)
6th September 2021, 16:35
If you can’t hack it after 5 years in a often dominant car, it’s probably not your believe in yourself that’s standing in your way.
Sonny Crockett (@sonnycrockett)
6th September 2021, 16:47
Ask any professional sportsperson and all would agree that it’s mentality that gives you that extra edge.
JMDan (@danmar)
7th September 2021, 14:15
Sebastian Vettel?
JMDan (@danmar)
7th September 2021, 14:14
Indeed. Let’s hope he takes it to heart.
Nitzo (@webtel)
6th September 2021, 16:12
James V: “Valtteri, its James. You have been let go”
Valtteri B: “Copy”
Balue (@balue)
6th September 2021, 20:15
lol
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
8th September 2021, 10:40
Valtteri, it’s toto, difficult day for you and difficult day for us but we decided to go with george for 2022!
Sonny Crockett (@sonnycrockett)
6th September 2021, 16:47
:)
amian
6th September 2021, 17:31
Hamilton sure enjoyed having no competition in the only other competetive car. Had Rosberg been his teammate for the last 5 years, he wouldn’t have as many WDC’s as he does.
ian dearing
6th September 2021, 18:06
Yea, if Rosberg hadn’t retired, been ‘spent’ completely as a racer after his WDC year, put his family on the back burner for the last five years, and hoped Ham had a few more car issues and not improved year on year, Ham maybe wouldn’t have had so many wins and championships.
And if Max had become his own man instead of doing what daddy and Uncle Marko wanted; as he still does, he would have signed that Mercedes contract and found himself parachuted into the Mercedes team and be chasing his 5 WDC with little or no opposition.
But thank god in the real world we have Max going up against the true greats with the likes of Albon and Perez.
rodewulf (@rodewulf)
6th September 2021, 20:47
And guess what would have happened? It would be difficult to gauge Verstappen’s real ability to maximise the potential of the car, with everybody remaining stuck in the dillema “is it more about the car or more about the driver”, instead of Lewis’. Regardless of who would become the next Schumacher, it would be happening.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
8th September 2021, 10:42
Schumacher however had plenty of years where, whether he won the title or not, he gave a good fight without dominant cars, example 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 00, 03, 06, hamilton doesn’t have a lot of that since he only really had strong cars and almost always dominant.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
8th September 2021, 10:45
Almost always dominant is exagerated, however in the mclaren years he wasn’t really a contender in 2010 and 2012 with a car a bit better than alonso, which is what makes me think the car makes him better than he is.
rodewulf (@rodewulf)
9th September 2021, 4:18
You hit the nail on the head, my friend! ;)
Balue (@balue)
6th September 2021, 20:16
Who doesn’t like a timid wingman without speed for a team mate
melanos
7th September 2021, 2:36
Speed is not VB’s greatest deficit. He is just totally unable to race.
Don
7th September 2021, 1:54
I don’t know if I’d consider battling for mid pack with no hope of winning a “bright future”.
MCG (@malrg)
7th September 2021, 8:38
Of coarse he is Lewis’s favorite ever team mate. Lewis has always had great relationships with Team Mates that didn’t challenge him
hobo (@hobo)
7th September 2021, 17:55
Unless a top 2, top 3 team pick him up in the next year (and we know that won’t be Merc), he’ll never challenge for wins, podiums, or poles ever again in F1. Maybe the occasional fast lap if he pits late on purpose.
The only bright future he may have will be outside of F1. Unfortunately.
rodewulf (@rodewulf)
8th September 2021, 2:52
Did he just expose Bottas as having some sort of inferiority complex? He tries to make it all sound better but only getting worse!