The 'turning point' that prevented Bottas' F1 retirement

Valtteri Bottas has described how victory at the 2019 Australian Grand Prix was a "turning point" for his F1 career, having considered retirement after a tricky 2018 season. 

Bottas endured a tough second campaign at Mercedes in 2018, losing out on victories in China, Azerbaijan, Germany and Russia through poor strategy, punctures whilst leading and team orders imposed by the pit wall. 

He finished the season in fifth place in the drivers' championship, having finished the final four races of the year in fifth.

However, the Finn would dominate the 2019 season-opener in Melbourne, being dubbed Bottas 2.0 after defeating Lewis Hamilton, memorably delivering the "to whom it may concern" radio message on his in-lap.

Bottas has previously spoken of his dilemma as to whether to retire from grand prix racing after the 2018 campaign, but has described how Albert Park was the turnaround.

"There have been many lessons in this sport, I've gone through so much and almost nearly quit my career," Bottas told the Pitlane Life Lessons podcast. 

"I was fed up with the F1 world and thought it was cruel to me. 

"It was the end of 2018, but I somehow managed to pick myself up and win the first race of 2019.

"That was the turning point for me."

Life lessons from Bottas

Now into his 12th season in F1, Bottas is seeking a drive to remain on the grid for 2025, with his options being either remaining at Stake as it continues its Audi preparations or Alpine. 

Of the two, it is more likely that the 10-time grand prix winner will partner Nico Hulkenberg at Stake, but as he has gotten older, Bottas has looked more at the big picture of his career.

"In the end, I understood that sometimes, you need time, step back and really look at the big picture, and that is what I do nowadays in life," he said. 

"If there is a tiny little set-back somewhere, I try to just take a step back and look at the big picture.

"I have family, they are healthy, I am still driving a race car which I love and have a roof over my head, so in the end, when you a step back and look at the whole picture, that is when you can put things into perspective, and start to complain less.

"Staying within the F1 bubble, for me, has been really important."