Valtteri Bottas: “That’s it now for me and Mercedes and for this chapter”

Valtteri Bottas says he is ‘really proud’ to have been part of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team who won an eighth consecutive World Constructors’ Championship in 2021, although the Finn says there is disappointment that Lewis Hamilton missed out on the Drivers’ title.

Bottas had his final Grand Prix with Mercedes before leaving for the Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN team on Sunday in Abu Dhabi, and he finished down in sixth as team-mate Hamilton ended second.  However, Max Verstappen’s victory ensured the title went the way of the Red Bull Racing driver.

The Finn will leave Mercedes’ after five years having taken ten race victories and twenty pole positions, although a Drivers’ title of his own eluded him as Hamilton was the dominant driver within the team.

“I’m really proud that we got the constructors, but obviously drivers’ championship is a big thing,” Bottas is quoted as saying immediately after the race by Motorsport.com. “I haven’t seen the team yet. But I’m sure it’s the same feeling, that is not quite like we won today. I think we lost today.

“Every year I’ve been with a team, we’ve won the constructors’. So I guess I’ve had to do something! So that’s good.  But still, the overriding feeling now is disappointment for Lewis. But I’m sure once you give me a few days that we’ll see the positives.

“In any case, that’s it now for me and Mercedes and for this chapter, and now it’s for something new. From this weekend, learned a lot and we move on.”

Bottas says it will likely take himself and Mercedes a few days to appreciate the magnitude of winning eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships, once the disappointment of Hamilton missing out on the title subsides a little.

“It is, it is important, and for sure, we appreciate it more after,” Bottas added. “It’s been impressive. For me, five years in a row winning constructors is a big thing.

“But I’ll appreciate it more in the if you asked me on Thursday or Friday.”