Bottas: Don’t jump to conclusions at the start of the season

Valtteri Bottas looks forward to the new season with confidence and optimism…

Question: Valtteri, how was your winter break?
Valtteri Bottas: Awesome. I spent the first few weeks in California, then a few days in Finland and then a month in Australia. I’ve been training hard, seeing new places in South Australia, unplugging for a while and thinking about what’s happened over the past year.

Question: Now you are back to work in a renewed team, with a new image, with new colors. What do you think of these changes?
Valtteri Bottas: The new look reflects the team’s focus on the future. The team changed their image, I followed their example. Sometimes change is for the better.

Q: This is your third year on the team. What are your personal goals for the season?
Valtteri Bottas: I always have high expectations, we have to take a step forward, make progress compared to last year, in which, to be honest, we did not achieve the goals we set for ourselves. This needs to be resolved now.

Q: What gives you confidence that this will work?
Valtteri Bottas: All changes that take place in the team. We have added resources in different departments, we have a completely new style, the new car looks different – and not just in the paint. We have chosen a different development path, hopefully the right one.

Of course, the rivals will also take a step forward. Until they get started, it is difficult to imagine what the balance of power will be. This is the challenge of our sport, especially now that the difference between the teams is minimal. But I am happy with what we have achieved with the team in recent months.

Question: For the first time you are driving a new car, not in a race, but in tests. How important are they today?
Valtteri Bottas: Tests are a great opportunity to get acquainted with a new car, work with its settings, but you can roughly assess the balance of power only in the first race. In my experience it takes three or four Grand Prix to understand the situation because all circuits are different. At the beginning of the season you shouldn’t jump to conclusions.

Q: Your partner Guanyu Zhou is no longer a newcomer. But you, with your experience, continue to make progress. Where do you see development opportunities?
Valtteri Bottas: I’m starting my twelfth season in Formula 1, and it seems to me that every year I learn a lot: some years more, some less, but every year brings something different. I’m getting better, faster, more experienced. Together with my partner, who is absolutely no longer a beginner, we have a very strong team.