Bottas: “When you are confident in F1, it makes a big difference”

Time was starting to get long: Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) had not lifted a winner's trophy since the Austrian Grand Prix last June. The Finn superbly rectified this mistake this weekend in Abu Dhabi, not only winning the pole positionMore also the victory with the best lap in the race.

After experiencing a slump after the summer break, Valtteri Bottas found a second wind in the final straight of this season. Already, in Sao Paulo (Brazil) two weeks ago, a bad start had probably prevented him from aiming better thana second place from pole. “It’s a bit of a shame to miss second place in the overall Drivers’ standings (Sebastian Vettel ends up with 12 extra units), but achieving pole, victory and the fastest lap, I couldn't do better! This definitely gives me extra confidence for next year. »

The wearer of number 77 only gave up his command post for a few laps, after his pit stop, while waiting for Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) does the same. “I had a lot of pressure from him though, if I made the slightest mistake, I knew he was going to take advantage of it. So I stayed focused,” continues Valtteri Bottas. “I controlled the gap with Lewis. I locked the wheels while approaching a latecomer, but other than that, I had no problems. During the last five passes, I managed to increase my pace and build a cushion in advance. »

“I felt more relaxed than in Brazil. I came here with a clear mind, I had nothing to lose. I was calm, I felt like everything was under control throughout the weekend. » According to the winner, the change in approach explains his return to the forefront this fall. “There were a lot of complicated races after the break. But as soon as I was able to analyze what was wrong, I improved my driving, and I was more comfortable behind the wheel. And when you are confident in F1, that makes a big difference. »