'Not A Fair Sport For Sure': Bottas Shares His Honest Feelings About Formula 1

Monday, 19 August 2024 at 22:00

Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas asserted F1 isn't "a fair sport" and explained how he balances it out with cycling.

Valtteri Bottas is one of the luckier drivers on the grid. Although he has not had a competitive car since he left Mercedes at the end of the 2021 season, he had the opportunity to sit in the fastest car for five full seasons prior to that.

However, that also means he can feel the difference more than any other driver around him who hasn't had the chance to drive in one of the fastest cars.

As it stands before the 15th round of the 2024 season in the Netherlands, Valtteri Bottas is 21st—last in the Drivers Championship. While his skill could be higher, his car limits what he can achieve. He said on the Pitlane Life Lessons podcast:

“"With Formula 1, you need the car, you need the team if you want to succeed. And it's not a fair sport, that's for sure."”

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The Sauber driver likes to balance this unfairness that he feels by participating in cycling competitions, where he feels the human factor makes the most significant difference.

“"That's why I like cycling, because it's like the opposite. You, as a human, you are the engine, you are the machine."”

“"And yeah, obviously, still, machinery plays a part, but that's why I love doing those events and challenging myself, because I feel like on the start line, pretty much everyone, more or less, they have the same chances to win or do well."”

The 34-year-old is currently in a relationship with Australian cyclist Tiffany Cromwell, which might have been one of the reasons why he got into cycling, but the reason he stayed with it and likes it is: