--- title: "Why Bottas’ breakthrough 2017 was far from ‘disappointing’" canonical: "https://readmotorsport.com/2017/11/28/bottas-breakthrough-2017-far-disappointment/" type: "post" language: "en-GB" author: "Kyran Gibbons" section: "F1 News" published: "2017-11-28T20:31:11Z" modified: "2017-11-28T20:52:35Z" --- # Why Bottas’ breakthrough 2017 was far from ‘disappointing’ After taking his third Formula 1 race win on Sunday evening in Abu Dhabi, Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas was asked to describe his 2017 season in one word. His choice was “disappointing.” At face value, the assessment is a curious one. This was Bottas’ breakthrough season, as he was parachuted into Mercedes in place of world champion Nico Rosberg after the German unveiled his retirement bombshell just days after his title win. Occupying one of the most coveted seats in F1, Bottas delivered his first pole position at the Bahrain Grand Prix and first victory in Russia. He finished the season with a total of four poles and three wins, en route to an eventual third in the championship. His final victory of the season in Abu Dhabi last weekend was his most impressive. He absorbed enormous pressure courtesy of a race-long pursuit by Hamilton and was near faultless. Impressive numbers and highlights considering that this time in 2016, Bottas was preparing for another year of relative midfield obscurity at Williams. So, why the negative assessment from the man himself? ![Clive Mason/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/11/879019304.jpg) Bottas entered a reasonably exclusive club when he took on the rare challenge of replacing a reigning world champion. Expectations are naturally high and championship titles become an expectation rather than a mere pipe-dream. “Being in this kind of team that has won the title three years in a row, you can’t target anything less than the championship,” Bottas declared pre-season. “So, as a team that is the target and as a driver, it’s the same thing. “Last year Nico won the title but I am ready for it. The main pressure comes from me because I always set high targets for myself.” Bottas’ season started in promising fashion. It was crucial to deliver an early victory and in Russia, Bottas was imperious on race-day. Another victory in Austria meant that by mid-season, he had emerged as a dark horse in the title race. That was before a mid-season slump, soon after being confirmed as a Mercedes driver for 2018, derailed his season. Two podiums in the six races after the summer break while Hamilton’s assault on a fourth world title took flight seemed to take it’s toll on Bottas’ confidence. Sport is largely a ‘head-game’ and Bottas was evidently enduring a battle to avoid falling into a spiral of negativity. ![Lars Baron/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/11/856124358.jpg) After qualifying fifth for the Malaysia Grand Prix, 0.682 seconds behind polesitter Hamilton, Bottas said; “For me, I’m still really far away. It’s tricky being such a big amount of time off the pace. As a driver it’s difficult to accept. “I need to try and find the answer and not let it get in my head. It’s so easy to try too much in this sport but I need to have a look good in the mirror again.” However, Bottas the race winner survived the rough terrain. His victory at the season finale capped a string of three races at the end of the campaign in which Bottas scored the most points of any driver. Reflecting on his Abu Dhabi weekend, Bottas stated; “Getting the pole position, race win and fastest lap couldn’t be better and it definitely gives confidence going into next year. “Whatever zone I’ve been able to get myself in now in qualifying in Brazil, qualifying yesterday and in the race today, I need to find myself in that zone all the time next year.” Bottas has demonstrated in 2017 that Mercedes made the right choice in their replacement for Rosberg. The Finn played his part in securing the constructors’ title and on occasions when Hamilton was unable to take victory, he was on hand to scoop top honours in Russia and Austria, stripping critical points away from Vettel and Ferrari in the process. ![Mark Thompson/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/11/675137872.jpg) His lackluster mid-season meant that he was unable to overhaul Vettel for second place in the drivers’ championship, but the late upsurge in form unquestionably provided him with a confidence boost to head into the winter. Meanwhile, his failure to secure second in the championship was not through mistakes. The only notable error he made this season was spinning while behind the safety car on a damp Sunday in China. Barring his power unit failure in Spain, Bottas would have joined Hamilton in finishing each and every one of the 20 races. On Saturday’s, Bottas was out-qualified by Hamilton on 14 occasions. En route to the championship last season, Rosberg lost out to Hamilton a comparable total of 12 times in qualifying. He may not have delivered the form of a champion this season, but he was not far away. ![Lars Baron/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/11/811325730.jpg) Assessing his season, therefore, is a complex conundrum. Bottas celebrated New Year’s Day as a member of F1’s feisty midfield and by mid-January, his expectations for 2017 had suddenly be overhauled. Targeting the championship title was an ambitious goal. Arguably, it was the pressure of expectation that led to Bottas’ self-doubt mid-season. Once he was mathematically out of the championship battle, his performances improved. Bottas lamenting his season as a “disappointment” is a prime example of the self-critical Valtteri. In reality, his 2017 was filled with highlights and positive statistics. The lowlights are all part of the learning process for a driver who entered his rookie season at F1’s top table this year. 2018 will need to be a stronger year for Bottas. One in which he is able to maintain a performance either matching or exceeding that of Hamilton’s throughout the season – not just for a purple patch of two or three races. Fortunately, a not-so-disappointing breakthrough 2017 season has served to lay the foundations for a championship tilt in 2018. It’s a mission in progress. ![Mark Thompson/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/11/811270148.jpg)