Hamilton: Bottas doesn’t need to defend his 2020 performances
Lewis Hamilton believes there is no need for Valtteri Bottas to defend his Formula 1 performances through 2020, praising a “big showing” of his personality and character this year.
Bottas finished as runner-up in the F1 drivers’ championship for the second time in 2020, but failed to maintain a sustained challenge to Mercedes teammate Hamilton for the title.
Hamilton won 11 races en route to his seventh world title, while Bottas could claim just two victories, leaving him a distant 124 points behind in the championship standings.
Hamilton has frequently talked up Bottas’s strengths as his teammate. The pair have raced together since 2017 and won the constructors’ championship for Mercedes in each of those seasons.
Asked by Motorsport.com how impressed he had been with Bottas’s displays this year, Hamilton said he did not know “how many more nice words I can say about Valtteri”.
“I don’t think Valtteri needs to defend his performance, and I don’t feel like I need to,” Hamilton said.
“I think he’s continued to work at it, and we’ve definitely had very, very close qualifyings, particularly this year.
“Like I said before, it’s never easy having strong teammates. It’s a constant battle between you, both mentally and emotionally throughout the year.
“What’s really great with us is that we fight it out hard on-track, but then when we’re outside, we manage to maintain a gentleman working relationship, and I think that’s a big showing of his personality and character as a man.
“I know next year he is going to be taking more steps, so I’ve got to work a way and figure out how I can find some more speed for next year.”
Bottas scored five pole positions across the course of the 2020 season, but converted it into a race win just once at the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix.
The Finn admitted that finishing second in the standings “can’t be that satisfying”, and conceded at the FIA Prize Giving that his own year was “a bit mixed”.
“Of course I didn’t meet my targets for the year in terms of results,” Bottas said.
“But now looking at the big picture, there are so many positive things and so many more lessons learned about driving and about myself.
“It’s everything I can carry into next year, and really turn that into a strength, and try again.”
Related video
Interview: Hamilton on his future and his biggest challenge
The cherished curios kept by motorsport's professionals at home
Connecting two of Ferrari's favourite F1 sons: Villeneuve and Leclerc
Gilles Villeneuve's exploits behind the wheel of a Ferrari made him a legend to the tifosi, even 40 years after his death. The team's current Formula 1 star Charles Leclerc enjoys a similar status, and recently got behind the wheel of a very special car from the French-Canadian’s career.
How a 30cm metal wire triggered open warfare in the F1 paddock
Porpoising has become the key talking point during the 2022 Formula 1 season, as teams battle to come to terms with it. An FIA technical directive ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix and a second stay appearing on the Mercedes cars only served to create a bigger debate and raise tensions further
Does Max Verstappen have any weaknesses left?
Having extended his Formula 1 points lead with victory in Canada, Max Verstappen has raised his game further following his 2021 title triumph. Even on the days where Red Bull appears to be second best to Ferrari, Verstappen is getting the most out of the car in each race. So, does he have any weaknesses that his title rivals can exploit?
How F1's future fuels can shape the automotive sector
In 2026, Formula 1 plans to make the switch to a fully sustainable fuel, as the greater automotive world considers its own alternative propulsion methods. Biogasoline and e-fuels both have merit as 'drop-in' fuels but, equally, both have their shortcomings...
The breakthrough behind Sainz's best weekend of F1 2022 so far
OPINION: Carlos Sainz came close to winning in Monaco but needed that race’s specific circumstances for his shot at a maiden Formula 1 victory to appear. Last weekend in Canada, he led the line for Ferrari in Charles Leclerc’s absence from the front. And there’s a key reason why Sainz has turned his 2022 form around
Why “faster” Ferrari couldn’t beat Red Bull in Canadian GP
On paper the Canadian Grand Prix will go down as Max Verstappen’s latest triumph, fending off late pressure from Carlos Sainz to extend his Formula 1 world championship lead. But as safety car periods, virtual and real, shook up the race Ferrari demonstrated it can take the fight to Red Bull after recent failures.
Canadian Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
Plenty of high scores but just a single perfect 10 from the first Montreal race in three years, as Max Verstappen fended off late pressure from Carlos Sainz. Here’s Autosport’s assessment on the Formula 1 drivers from the Canadian Grand Prix
The in-demand helmet designer creating works of art for F1's best
GP Racing’s OLEG KARPOV pays a visit to designer Jens Munser, to observe the production of Mick Schumacher’s special helmet for the Miami Grand Prix. What follows is some fascinating insight on the mindsets of Mick’s dad Michael, and family friend Sebastian Vettel