Valtteri Bottas F1 Profile & Career Stats

Valtteri Bottas Biography

Williams team celebration after the podium in Austria

After a super 2014, Valtteri Bottas underlined his potential as a possible future world champion with an impressive year in 2015.

Bottas scored six podiums in 2014, while his highly-regarded team-mate, Felipe Massa, scored just three.

The previous season, he added two more to his collection and held off Massa to secure fifth in the championship.

Bottas is quick, clever, composed, and consistent. No wonder bigger teams are interested in his services.

When the Finn arrived in 2013, he was expected to do well, but Williams struggled and provided him with an awful car.

Bottas had a dismal year, but his stock remained high, thanks, in part, to his stellar junior career.

Like many of the young drivers in recent years, the 25-year-old has a strong junior CV. Two championships in Formula Renault and a GP3 world title in 2011 can’t disguise his potential.

That GP3 season caught the eye of the legendary Sir Frank Williams, and Bottas was quickly signed as the team’s reserve driver.

After one season in that role, he was promoted to race alongside Pastor Maldonado. The Venezuelan had the better of Bottas in 2013, but it was he who left the team at the end of that season.

The 2014 F1 season was a good one for Bottas. He scored 6 podium's for Williams, finished 4th in the drivers' championship, and defeated his highly profiled new team mate Felipe Massa, who had to make room at Ferrari.

2015 Mexican podium : 1. Rosberg 2. Hamilton 3. Bottas

The following season, Williams was still fast compared to the competition, Ferrari and Red Bull. Bottas again scored some podiums and outran his teammate again to finish 5th in the drivers' championship. The top teams were interested in him.

With seats at big teams possibly opening up for 2016, Bottas is at the front of the queue. Another fine season would all but confirm his progress up the grid. The Williams is now clearly beaten by Red Bull, Ferrari, and even Force India was faster that season. The Finn had an ok 2016 F1 season at Williams. He took a podium in Canada and scored 32 more points than his teammate Felipe. He outscored him for the 3rd consecutive time.

After Nico Rosberg won the 2016 F1 drivers' championship, he announced his F1 exit a few days after he won the last F1 race of the season for Mercedes, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

His exit was a complete surprise for the Mercedes F1 team, and it's said that all the F1 drivers were knocking on Mercedes' door to get the hot seat.

Names like Fernando Alonso, whose adventure at McLaren was again becoming a difficult story, were named next to Pascal Wehrlein and Valtteri Bottas on the shortlist of the silver arrow team.

Valtteri Bottas wins his first F1 race in Russia (2017)

Mercedes chose Bottas, who used to be managed by team principal Toto Wolff at Williams.

It was going to be very interesting to see him perform next to 3 times World Champion Lewis Hamilton during the 2017 F1 season.

Valtteri Bottas had an interesting 2017 F1 season. He wasn't able to beat his teammate in every race, but he did score 3 victories, 4 poles, and a total of 13 podiums. He got stronger as the season evolved and finished the season with a win at Abu Dhabi.

When you look at the teammate comparison tab, the first thing you will notice is that Hamilton outperformed the Finnish driver in every way in 2017. However, Bottas was adapting to Mercedes.

In 2018, he had a really difficult season at Mercedes. In the first half of the season, he was quick enough to deserve at least two victories, but bad luck played against him in China, with a Safety Car that put his lead at risk and a puncture at Baku after he was leading entering the last two laps. Bottas did not win a single race in 2018, although he was leading in Russia when he received the order to let his teammate, who was fighting for the title, pass and take the win.

For the current season, there was much speculation about Bottas' improvements and his new approach for the season. His year started well with victories at Australia and Azerbaijan and two Pole Positions in the first four races of the year. From his win at Baku onwards, he has not won a race. He scored stunning Pole Positions at Spain and Silverstone, but he could not convert those into race victories.

The last two races before the summer break were his worst of the season. He crashed out of the German Grand Prix after having a golden opportunity to take points off Hamilton's lead in the title fight, and then finished eighth at Hungary after starting in the front row. An error-prone start of the race at Budapest and a touch from Charles Leclerc's Ferrari in the first lap damaged his chances in that GP.

Valtteri Bottas

After falling 62 points behind Hamilton in the title fight and with Max Verstappen just eight points behind in the championship, Bottas' seat at Mercedes was in danger after the summer break. The team manager, Wolff, said that the decision would be made in August and that two drivers were options for the seat, Bottas and Esteban Ocon.

On the 29th of August, Bottas was confirmed for 2020 at Mercedes. In the first five races of the second half of the season, Bottas scored four podiums. In the 2019 Japanese Grand Prix, Bottas took his third win of 2019 and the sixth of his career with a solid drive after starting from third on the grid.

With his win at Suzuka and Hamilton's third place, Bottas helped Mercedes secure their sixth straight World Constructors' Championship. Also, the result determined that only a Mercedes driver could win the 2019 Drivers' championship.

In the following race at the 2019 Mexican Grand Prix, Bottas crashed on his second run in Q3 and started the race in sixth. However, a solid Sunday drive helped him reach third place and keep his slim title hopes alive. In the 2019 United States Grand Prix, Bottas started from Pole Position and won his seventh F1 race after a late overtake on his teammate Hamilton, who secured the championship with a second place.

In the final two races of the year, Brazil and Abu Dhabi, he had engine problems. He retired in Brazil with an engine blowout which was prompted by an oil consumption-related issue. He had to start the last race from the last place due to grid penalties for exceeding Power Unit elements, and finished fourth after he could not overtake Leclerc for third.

He finished his best year in F1 with 326 points and second place in the WDC. He won four races during the year, reached the podium 15 times (career-high), and started from Pole Position five times.

For the second-straight season, Bottas won the inaugural race of the F1 calendar. This time, he won the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix from Pole Position to reach an early lead in the World Drivers' Championship. However, Bottas won his second race of the year in the 10th round, the 2020 Russian Grand Prix, after polesitter Lewis Hamilton received two five-second penalties for doing practise starts in a forbidden place.

Bottas again could not beat Hamilton to the World Drivers' Championship in 2020, even after his great start.

In the final races of 2020, Bottas struggled with bad luck and his own performances. He ended the year second in the WDC, with two victories and five Pole Positions.

Race winner Valtteri Bottas of Finland on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Turkey at Intercity Istanbul Park

Difficult last season with Mercedes ended with P3 in the WDC

Valtteri Bottas had his final year as a Mercedes driver in 2021, before being replaced by George Russell. The Finnish racer completed a year with ups and downs, bad luck, and some bad driving on his part in third place in the WDC.

Bottas struggled with a W12 car that was unstable most of the time, but he managed to win the 2021 Turkish Grand Prix after inheriting Pole Position due to a penalty to his teammate Lewis Hamilton. That was the 10th win of his career.

On 6 September 2021, it was announced that Bottas was set to leave Mercedes and join Alfa Romeo in 2022 on a multi-year deal.

Big start to his Alfa Romeo career

Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo C42

Alfa Romeo's challenger for the start of F1's new era in 2022 was a good one, and Valtteri Bottas gave it good use in the early stages of the season.

Bottas scored points in six of the first seven races of 2022 and kept the team in the Top 5 in the standings of the World Constructors' Championship.

Ultimately, Bottas finished the campaign with 49 points and in 10th place in the World Drivers' Championship. Alfa Romeo ended the year in sixth place in the Constructors' standings, its best result since returning to F1 in 2019.

Rough second season with Alfa Romeo

The 2023 Formula 1 season was difficult for Alfa Romeo, and the brand ended up departing Formula 1, ending its partnership with Sauber.

Bottas was still the team's best performer, scoring 10 of the brand's 16 points and helping the team get out of the final place in the standings.

The best race for the Finnish driver in the 2023 F1 campaign came in the first event in Bahrain, with an eighth place that was replicated at Qatar later in the year.

Bottas' 2024 F1 season went scoreless, and when Sauber decided to change its driver lineup for 2025, the Finn was left without a seat in 2025.

Return with Cadillac in 2026

On 26 August 2025, Cadillac announced its driver lineup for its Formula 1 entry in 2026. Veteran race winners Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez were confirmed as the team's racers for 2026.

Bottas' first test with Cadillac came in January 2026, during F1's shakedown at Barcelona.

Race career achievements

• Finnish Champion in ICAJ, ICA and Formula-A class
• 2004 ICAJ European Champion Qualification winner in Belgium Spa
• 2005 ICA Viking Trophy winner in Hanstholm Denmark
• 2006 FA Winning Series Karting winner
• 2006 FA World Champion 8th
• 2007 Formula Renault 2.0 NEC 3rd
• 2007 Formula Renault 2.0 Winter Serie UK
• (4 finals; three times 1st and once 2nd)
• 2007 Formula Renault 3.5 World Series test in Paul Ricard
• 2008 Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup 1st
• 14 races, 5 wins, 7 pole positions, 10 podiums, 4 fastest laps
• 2008 Formula Renault 2.0 NEC 1st
• 14 races, 12 wins, 13 pole positions, 12 podiums, 12 fastest laps
• 2009 Formula 3 Euroseries with ART, 3rd place, 2 pole positions, 6 second places, 62 points
• 2009 Formula 3 Masters, Zandvoort, polesitter and winner
• 2010 Formula 3 Euroseries with ART, 3rd place, 1 pole position, 8 podiums, 74 points
• 2010 Formula 3 Masters, winner
• 2010 Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix with Prema Powerteam 3rd
• 2010 AT&T Williams official test driver
• 2011 GP3 1st
• 2011 AT&T Williams official test driver
• 2012 Williams official test driver
• 2013 Williams F1 driver, finished 17th in the F1 drivers championship
• 2014 Williams F1 driver, 6 podiums, 1 fastest lap and finished 4th in the F1 drivers championship
• 2015 Williams F1 driver, 2 podiums and finished 5th in the F1 drivers championship
• 2016 Williams F1 driver, 1 podium and finished 8th in the F1 drivers championship
• 2017 Mercedes F1 driver

Official Valtteri Bottas website: https://valtteribottas.com/

Valtteri Bottas F1 Helmets

Valtteri Bottas Formula 1 Cars

Valtteri Bottas Championship Results

Valtteri Bottas F1 Seasons Summary

Year	Team	Engine	GP	1st	2nd	3rd	Pod	Pole	Laps	FL	Avg Pts	Points
2026	Cadillac	Ferrari	16	0	0	0	0	0	615	0	0.00	0
2024	Sauber	Ferrari	24	0	0	0	0	0	1360	0	0.00	0
2023	Alfa Romeo	Ferrari	22	0	0	0	0	0	1229	0	0.45	10
2022	Alfa Romeo	Ferrari	22	0	0	0	0	0	1137	0	2.23	49
2021	Mercedes	Mercedes	22	1	1	9	11	4	1134	4	10.27	226
2020	Mercedes	Mercedes	17	2	6	3	11	5	994	2	13.12	223
2019	Mercedes	Mercedes	21	4	7	4	15	5	1233	3	15.52	326
2018	Mercedes	Mercedes	21	0	7	1	8	2	1202	7	11.76	247
2017	Mercedes	Mercedes	20	3	6	4	13	4	1171	2	15.25	305
2016	Williams	Mercedes	21	0	0	1	1	0	1186	0	4.05	85
2015	Williams	Mercedes	18	0	0	2	2	0	1037	0	7.56	136
2014	Williams	Mercedes	19	0	2	4	6	0	1110	1	9.79	186
2013	Williams	Renault	19	0	0	0	0	0	1070	0	0.21	4

Latest Valtteri Bottas News

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  1 day ago

  Bottas says Imola tax comments were taken out of context

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  3 days ago

  Bottas says drivers dislike Imola finale in December

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  18 Sep

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  9 Sep

  Could Budkowski still drop Bottas before next season?

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  2 Sep

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  27 Aug

  Behind The Scenes With Cadillac At Zandvoort

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  23 Aug

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  21 Aug

  Cadillac Denies F1 Sale Talk as Drivers Back Shake-Up

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  6 Aug

  Cadillac's Veteran Duo Splits Dutch F1 Experts

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  24 Jul

  Herta's Cadillac hopes fade as Bottas fears Aston leap

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