Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe
Autosport Plus

The role Bottas hates but must embrace

Valtteri Bottas finished 2018 fifth in the Formula 1 points and with no race victories, and called it his "worst season so far". Could a change of attitude for next year help him improve and make himself more valuable to Mercedes or a rival team?

Valtteri Bottas didn't like being referred to as Lewis Hamilton's "sensational wingman" by Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff after this year's Hungarian Grand Prix. No racing driver would, and his response revealed just how difficult it is to accept taking one of the most difficult jobs in motorsport.

"Wingman hurts" was Bottas's response. It was an innocent comment from Wolff that reflected the race situation at the Hungaroring, where Bottas had held second place behind his team-mate before a painful slump to fifth in the final six laps came about due to a combination of tyre troubles and on-track clashes, rather than a preordained status within the team.

Previous article Sauber 2019 driver Antonio Giovinazzi doubts '17 F1 races will help
Next article The human cost of F1's cut-throat nature

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe