Valtteri Bottas is relishing the extra responsibilities as Alfa Romeo Formula 1 team leader having not been able to enjoy them at Mercedes. Bottas is set for his second season at the team in 2023, having left Mercedes at the end of '21 after five seasons spent as teammate to Lewis Hamilton. Although he won 10 Grands Prix and helped claim five straight Constructors' Championships, Mercedes were firmly Hamilton's team, with the Briton enjoying a greater say over car development. Moving to Alfa for 2022, Bottas impressed, especially in the first half of the season, taking a best result of fifth at Imola. Now having spent a season getting used to the Hinwil-based squad, the Finn says he is enjoying the greater demands required.
"It's definitely been interesting," Bottas explained to media including RacingNews365.com of the greater responsibilities he has. "In this team, I feel like my role has been very different to what I've ever had in Formula 1: a bit more involvement and a bit more information going through me. "Obviously the work started early last year together, and I tried to give all my experience and technical knowledge I could from the past throughout the years so we can always give the best feedback we can. "When I am at the factory, I like to get updates, how things are going and obviously if I have any ideas or questions, I ask and we speak, so it is a really open situation within the team. "I love to know as much as I can about all the details with the new car, and I think it is fair to say the direction we've gone and the development of the car balance throughout last year has been in the right direction. "That work continues and we'll see with this new car. Hopefully everything is in an even better place in those situations and we'll keep working hard."
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