Valtteri Bottas vs Lewis Hamilton
Silver Arrows Battle • 2017-2021
Verdict
Lewis Hamilton leads this matchup across most statistical categories.
The Rivalry
Valtteri Bottas arrived at Mercedes in 2017 as the replacement for the retired Nico Rosberg, stepping into the most coveted seat in Formula 1 to partner Lewis Hamilton. For five seasons the Finn was Hamilton's teammate through the height of Mercedes' dominance, a period in which the silver and later black cars swept up constructors' and drivers' titles alike.
Bottas was quick, dependable and a regular race winner and pole-sitter in his own right, but he was rarely able to sustain a season-long challenge to Hamilton. As the years passed his role increasingly became that of the loyal number two, supporting Hamilton's title campaigns and backing the rear of the field into pursuing rivals.
The partnership was largely harmonious and free of the bitter feuds that marked some of Hamilton's other pairings, but the pace gap and team dynamic eventually saw Bottas make way for George Russell at the end of 2021, moving on to Alfa Romeo for a fresh start.
Defining Moments
- Russia 2017 — Bottas took his maiden Formula 1 victory in only his fourth race for Mercedes, an early sign of the talent that earned him the seat.
- "To whom it may concern" — After winning the 2019 Australian Grand Prix in dominant fashion, Bottas delivered a defiant radio message aimed at his doubters, a rare flash of fire from the usually understated Finn.
- Team orders — On multiple occasions Bottas was asked to cede position or hold up rivals to aid Hamilton's championship pushes, cementing his role as the supporting driver.
- 2021 departure — Bottas's final season as Hamilton's teammate ended with the announcement that Russell would replace him, closing a five-year chapter at Mercedes.
The Verdict
Hamilton dominated the head-to-head in qualifying, race wins and championship results across their years together, and Bottas never finished a season ahead of him. Yet Bottas was far from a passenger, racking up wins and poles and playing a crucial supporting role in Mercedes' run of constructors' titles, a quietly valuable wingman to one of the sport's greatest drivers.