Bottas: I was in denial for almost five years

The Finn was once cruelly dubbed "such a sensational Wingman" by his tactless boss Toto Wolff, as Bottas ticked all the right boxes as a number two to Hamilton during Mercedes' golden era.

A report made possible by Mostbet AZ Casino shows that after giving it all he had to defeat Hamilton in the 2016 F1 WDC, Nico Rosberg departed Mercedes as World Champion. Upon which Bottas, managed by Wolff, got the nod to leave Williams and drop into the most coveted seat in F1, at the time.

During a recent interview with Autosport, Bottas reflected on what it took to be Hamilton's teammate: “You have to be in denial. I was in denial for almost five years because every year, I wanted to get back to the season and then fight for the title and I had to believe in myself.”

Bottas added that it was only during his final 2021 season at Mercedes - after which the team made room to promote junior driver George Russell from Williams - that he came to terms with losing out in the head-to-head.

He continued: “It was only when I knew that I was leaving the team then that I noticed that I was a bit more fine with certain things. I was allowing [myself] to accept some of those kinds of things. So, for sure, in your career, you go through those kinds of things…"

“With Lewis, only in the last year could I accept to myself that in equal machinery over a period of a full season," said Bottas, and admitted: "I really struggled to beat him and that he's probably better in certain areas. As a racing driver, to admit that to yourself, is hard.”

Bottas suggests he always got equal treatment to Hamilton during his time with the German team: "It was quite open meetings. Everything is based on facts and what they can see through the data on those things. You could see the average difference in qualifying or race pace. Nothing was avoided.

“I have no regrets because it was a tricky situation for me because I was every year on a one-year contract. I knew that if I wanted to fight for the title, I needed to be buried in this team. If I started to be an arsehole, I would lose my job pretty easily. They could always get someone else," reckoned Bottas.

The difference racing with a top team like Mercedes, where he won 10 GPs and twice was runner-up to Hamilton in the World Championship, and Alfa Romeo (now Sauber again) showed how much the right car matters.

At the same time, Bottas will be forgiven a chuckle watching Mercedes struggle relative to dominant Red Bull, and be challenged by their customers. Perhaps he did pick the right time to leave them. In the past two seasons, 34-year-old Bottas has made decade-younger Guanyu Zhou look ordinary and aims to be part of Audi's F1 foray beginning in 2026.

But until Sauber morphs into Audi, Bottas has a couple of years to prove to them his experience and speed will serve the new German team well, as he did Mercedes for five years.