Valtteri Bottas opens up over personal struggles: 'It's not a problem until it's a problem'

Valtteri Bottas has shared his fight with an eating disorder during the early part of his F1 career in an enlightening and refreshingly honest personal essay.

The Cadillac driver chronicled his journey to F1 in a touching and funny letter for The Players' Tribune, where he also tackled more serious difficulties he has faced during his three decades racing.

He revealed his obsessive and compulsive tendencies led him to starve himself over concerns that Williams would have an overweight car for the 2014 F1 season.

The 10-time grand prix winner — who is one of the most popular figures on the grid, on account of his entertaining and fun-loving personality — explained how, when he first broke into F1, he did not have any interests outside of motorsport.

"Back then, my entire identity was racing. I did not give a damn about anything else. It’s not a problem until it’s a problem," Bottas penned. "And in 2014, it became a big problem. 

"OK, now the silly Finnish guy has to get a little bit serious. I won’t bore you, don’t worry. I am not going to cry here. We don’t have to play the dramatic music. 

"But yeah….. Basically, I started starving myself."

The 36-year-old detailed his struggle after it was suggested he drop five kilograms at the time, admitting weight loss became "completely consuming" for him during the period, which left him with shot nerves, having burned himself out "mentally and physically."

It was not until Jules Bianchi's tragic accident at Suzuka later in that season that Bottas sought help, with the former Williams, Mercedes and Alfa Romeo-Sauber/Stake driver crediting working with a psychologist for his recovery.

'You made the wrong decision'

In the essay, Bottas also addressed other difficulties he encountered on the road to F1, including his first experience of the paddock's dog-eat-dog, ruthless nature.

After winning the Formula Renault championship in 2008, the Finnish driver received more than a handful of offers from management companies to help fund the rest of his ascent to F1, eventually teaming up with Toto Wolff and Mika Hakkinen, who had agreed to join forces for him.

"I called the other management companies and told them, 'Sorry, I had to go with Toto and Mika'," Bottas explained.

"Most of them were cool. But one of the companies was very high up in F1, and the guy actually told me, 'OK, that’s fine. But it’s unfortunate for you.' 

"I said, 'For me? Why?'

"He said, 'Well, because we are going to make your life very, very difficult. Your journey to F1 is going to be very hard now. You made the wrong decision.'

"I was shocked, obviously. There were no cameras around. The guy was not performing for TV or something. He was really trying to scare me. I was 19 years old. I had no money. No connections. I was just some kid. It should have worked, honestly. 

"But instead, I just thought: 'OK, you’ve shown me who you are. Have a nice day. See you in F1'."