"It definitely was a change": Valtteri Bottas echoes Lewis Hamilton's view over the ground effect cars needing a different driving style (Exclusive)

Valtteri Bottas agreed with Lewis Hamilton’s view on the need to adjust the driving style to adapt to the ground effect of cars. Speaking exclusively with Sportskeeda in Singapore, the Sauber driver stated that adaptability wasn’t a concern for him, as he smoothly transitioned from the previous generation of cars to the current ones.

Hamilton has mentioned multiple times that ground-effect cars require tweaks in driving style, especially when it comes to cornering and braking, due to the active aerodynamics at play with adjustable front and rear wings. Drivers like Daniel Ricciardo, who use a unique late-braking style similar to Hamilton’s, have found it challenging to balance the car under these conditions. Max Verstappen has also admitted needing to adjust his driving style to the demands of the cars.

Bottas, agreeing with his former Mercedes teammate, acknowledged that while the current generation of cars requires an adjustment, he managed to adapt quickly and without much difficulty. The Finnish driver has consistently outperformed his teammate Guanyu Zhou over the past three seasons, demonstrating his smooth adaptation to new car regulations.

When asked by Sportskeeda if he shared a similar view with his teammate about the modern F1 cars and their demands to adjust the driving style, Valtteri Bottas said:

“It definitely was a change like when the regulations changed that the cars they felt quite different, they're heavier, the level of downforce is different from different speed ranges. It took some adjustments. But I honestly never had like big struggle, had to change a bit. But that's it's always in this board like year after year when you have a new car, it's always a bit different. So for me it wasn't any big issue, honestly.”

Asked if he managed to adapt to them seamlessly, he replied:

“Pretty well, yeah.”

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Valtteri Bottas is satisfied with his performance in 2024 despite the lack of points

Sauber is yet to score a point in the 2024 season, but Valtteri Bottas has managed to outqualify his teammate Zhou Guanyu in 17 out of 18 races so far. In terms of race results, the former Mercedes driver has beaten Zhou in 11 out of 18 races. Reflecting on his performance this season, Bottas believed that his form has been solid while the results haven't translated into points.

Bottas pointed out that his qualifying performances have been particularly strong in 2024 compared to his previous two seasons with Sauber.

Meanwhile, his teammate Zhou Guanyu expressed frustration with their car’s struggles this season. In an exclusive interview in Zandvoort earlier in the year, the Chinese driver lamented the difficulties with the current car, emphasizing that it has been a challenge for both drivers to extract competitive race pace from the package.

Despite these challenges, Bottas remains optimistic about his performance, even if the team’s overall results have fallen short of expectations. When asked by Sportskeeda how he evaluated his season so far, he said:

“Overall, obviously it's been tough, I still have no points, but in terms of my performance I've been actually happy, like overall, especially in the qualifying, I think I've been able to be strong. Although the results they won't really show it, which is a shame. But that's how it goes sometimes in this sport.”

Sauber currently sits at the bottom of the constructors' standings, marking one of their most dismal results in the last five seasons. The team will be rebranded as the Audi F1 for the 2025 season, where Nico Hulkenberg has already been confirmed as one of the drivers. Given Valtteri Bottas' solid individual performance in 2024, he remains a top contender for the last remaining spot on the 2025 lineup.

Bottas' experience and ability to maximize performance, despite the team's current struggles, position him as a valuable asset for Audi's inaugural season. As the team transitions into a new era with Audi, retaining a proven driver like Bottas could be key to developing a more competitive package going forward.