Valtteri Bottas found it ‘difficult to take’ playing second fiddle to Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes and is relishing the ‘good feeling’ of a lead role with Alfa Romeo in 2022. Bottas, 32, spent five years with Brackley-based Mercedes after impressing earlier in his career with Williams. ‘With him being in the team, it was always difficult for me to take that lead role. He added: ‘A part of me is always going to miss working at Mercedes. Bottas departed Mercedes on good terms, receiving a guard of honour when he left the team’s Brackley HQ for the final time in the off-season.

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