Valtteri Bottas, Audi’s Formula 1 driver, revealed that he was very close to leaving the category in 2018, after a difficult season alongside Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. The Finn did not win any races that year and faced a strong emotional impact.
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The situation gained weight within the team itself, where Bottas recognized his secondary role. Even with a discourse of equality, he stated that he understood the context: “He was the champion. I was the ‘wingman’,” he added.
Without wins in the season, the Finnish driver admitted that he entered a period of deep wear. The frustration increased when he remembered that, on some occasions, he had to give up position to his teammate by team orders. This intensified negative feelings that had already arisen before.
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“I was definitely depressed and exhausted. I hated racing. During those holidays before 2019, I didn’t think I was going to come back,” he said. Bottas said he even made the decision to end his career in the category at that moment.
The change of course came after a period of reflection during the holidays in Finland. The driver reported that, when revisiting his career and the choices made, he decided to change his mindset: “I told myself: ‘If I’m going to come back, I’m going to come back as the best driver on the grid’,” he concluded, highlighting the turning point that made him continue in Formula 1.
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