Bottas: F1 is more important to Hamilton than other drivers

Valtelli Bottas believes that F1 is important to Lewis Hamilton that no other driver can match.

Both Bottas and Hamilton played together for Mercedes for five seasons between 2017 and 2021, securing the team's overall championship in all five seasons. The two built a strong and harmonious relationship inside the Mercedes garage, so much so that Hamilton repeatedly claimed Bottas was the best teammate he ever had.

Bottas' 2022 future is safe, the Finn has already reached a multi-year deal with Alfa Romeo, and while hamilton is on contract, the seven-time world champion continues to cast doubt on his F1 career. It all started with the Abu Dhabi finale, where Max Verstappen overtook Hamilton on the final lap to win the race and the championship and felt the race was being "manipulated".

Late in the safety car, only the duvet between P2's Verstappen and leader Hamilton was released before the race resumed, and Verstappen completed the overtaking on the final lap with updated tyres.

Bottas gives a strong clue to Hamilton's position in his F1 career, saying that in his view, F1 plays a more important role in Hamilton's life than other drivers.

He said: "I must say that for me, I work very hard with the team and I review everything very precisely, but Lewis, if he had heard that I had been going to the factory for two days, he would have gone for three days. If he had any doubts about something, he would act. In 2021, he's in the simulator almost every week, which he's never done before, he's always looking back on things, and his input makes me just take off my hat and salute. I think F1 is probably more important to him than other drivers. ”