"Difficult for me to lead because of Lewis" – Valtteri Bottas on how Lewis Hamilton affected his overall time at Mercedes

Alfa Romeo driver Valtteri Bottas believes it was difficult for him to lead the Mercedes team with Lewis Hamilton's presence in it. As he steps into the lead role in his new team, the former Mercedes driver reflected on his time working with the Briton and the team.

As he prepares for a new chapter in his F1 career, the Finn spoke to The Sun newspaper, where he said:

“When I joined Mercedes, it was difficult for me to take the lead because of Lewis [Hamilton] being there. With him being in the team, it was always difficult for me to take that lead role. So now it is different and a fresh start for me — and having that lead role is a good feeling.”

Bottas revealed that he never had the opportunity to lead the team during his tenure at Mercedes as it was a role fulfilled by Lewis Hamilton. The Briton had already claimed three titles by then and had naturally stepped into the role of the team's lead driver, as compared to the Finn, who had transferred from Williams and lacked experience.

Reflecting on his tenure at Mercedes, Bottas said:

“A part of me is always going to miss working at Mercedes. Now I have started looking back at my time there, I have tried to take all the positive moments we had. There were great moments and I enjoyed working with Lewis and Toto, but I am also really excited for my new chapter.”

The Finn is now looking forward to a new chapter as an Alfa Romeo driver. He will now lead the Hinwil-based outfit in the role of senior driver alongside rookie driver Guanyu Zhou.

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Valtteri Bottas doubts George Russell will be able to beat Lewis Hamilton easily in the same car

The former Mercedes driver doubts it will be easy for anybody to match the British champion in the same car. Valtteri Bottas believes George Russell will be able to adjust well to the Mercedes team but will find it difficult to beat the seven-time world champion in the same car.

Expressing his doubts about Russell one-upping Lewis Hamilton, Bottas said:

“I don’t see anyone else beating Lewis in the near future in the same machinery. George will adjust well because he has been with Mercedes for some years. But beating Lewis is not easy. I have experienced that. It is his consistency in his performances. Every driver has a form that is a little bit up and down, but his baseline for performance is just so high.”