Valtteri Bottas is confident he can be the "best version of himself" in 2022, as he adjusts to life at Alfa Romeo. During his five seasons with Mercedes, Bottas was able to fight for regular podiums and victories, but faces a very different challenge as the de facto team leader at Alfa Romeo alongside rookie signing Guanyu Zhou. Despite his vast experience from Mercedes, Bottas says he's still eager to keep learning and growing as a driver, and believes his best days are still in front of him. "I absolutely feel that I have still got so much to do to get better and so much more to give to the sport," he told media, including RacingNews365.com , during testing in Barcelona. "As a driver, I think you never ever stop learning as long as you want it. So, I'm always looking at areas where I can be better and it truly feels like now I can just be the best version of myself, instead of trying to be something else and trying too hard. "But, in the end, it is going to be a team effort. I don't see me as the only leader of the team. We're in this together, that is the feeling."
Bottas: I've been with a team that knows how to win
As Bottas closes in on 10 years of experience in the sport after racing with Williams and Mercedes, the Finn is eager to use his experience to help guide Alfa Romeo forward from near the back of the grid. "Of course, I can guide the way they go if I feel like I have experiences from the past," Bottas said. "But, in the end, we're in this together with Guanyu [Zhou] and the whole team and with [reserve driver] Robert [Kubica] as well. "It's been a nice atmosphere and I'm more than happy to be here. "I've been inside a team that knows how to win, what it really takes in terms of the teamwork, of the machinery, and how you work. "I think with a team spirit, I've learned so much that actually if you can get the spirit up, it really boosts the performance in every area." He laughed: "Of course, I've gotten some technical knowledge as well and learned a few things about driving along the way, so I'll try to put all those things to the best use."
Most read
