Abu Dhabi, Dec 8
Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas, who departed from Mercedes in 2022, has claimed that he regrets his move to Alfa Romeo (now Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber) and if given the chance he would go back in time and change his decision.
Bottas joined forces with former boss Fred Vasseur at Alfa Romeo, from the Silver Arrows in 2022, after signing a multi-year deal with the Swiss team. The Finn helped the team finish sixth in the Constructors' Championship in their first season together before Vasseur left to take up the role of Ferrari team principal.
"Absolutely not. If I could go back three years, I would have gone somewhere else. Unfortunately, that's how it is. This was a big mistake, but it's hard to predict these things in advance. That first year with Vasseur was a good thing. The team spirit was good and the results were quite good.
"The last two seasons have been a bit of a downhill slide all the time. Of course, that affects my image as a driver. If you can't show results, people kind of forget your name.
"This season has undoubtedly been quite scary. When we set goals with Vasseur in 2022 and how to achieve them, we had a clear plan. But after he left, all the goals and plans went to the scrap heap. Since then, it has been significantly more challenging," Bottas was quoted saying by F1 Planet.
During his time with Mercedes, alongside Lewis Hamilton, Bottas played a key role in winning four constructors' championships and secured nine wins and 53 podiums.
Bottas alongside Zhou Guanyu will be replaced by Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg in the 2025 season, making the Abu Dhabi GP his last race with the team. However, the 35-year-old went on to reveal he is not done with the sport. Reports suggest that Mercedes may be considering the Finnish racer for the reserve driver slot.
"I have a feeling that I'm not done with this sport," he said. "I still have more to give, so I'm going to watch this card until the end. Next week we plan to finalise next year's plans,. Let's finish this race with honour, and then focus on what's coming next week," Bottas added.