Former Mercedes driver and Lewis Hamilton’s ex-teammate, Valtteri Bottas, has called for patience and optimism regarding the British driver’s future with Ferrari. Although Hamilton is still struggling to find his rhythm with the Maranello team, Valtteri Bottas is convinced that it’s only a matter of time before the seven-time world champion returns to fighting at the front.
Hamilton has faced a challenging first year with Ferrari. In 20 races wearing red, the British driver has yet to reach the podium — a disappointing record for both him and the Scuderia. He currently sits sixth in the Drivers’ Championship, 64 points behind his teammate Charles Leclerc.
Valtteri Bottas, who shared the Mercedes garage with Lewis Hamilton for five seasons, said he understands “partly” what his former teammate is going through. “It’s been a huge change for him,” Valtteri Bottas told RacingNews365. “He spent so many years there (at Mercedes).”
“He knew every detail, every person in the team. Then suddenly you find yourself in a completely different environment, with a new mentality, new faces, a different car, and a different power unit — it’s not easy at all.”
The Finnish driver added: “I’d love to see him back at his very best. Time will tell if that happens.” According to Valtteri Bottas, Lewis Hamilton will approach next season with a stronger and more confident mindset, built on the experience gained during his first year in red.
Having personally gone through multiple team changes — from Williams to Mercedes, and later to Sauber — Valtteri Bottas knows how much easier a second season can be. “It’s always much easier to start a second year with a team,” he explained. “You’ve already done all the groundwork during the first twelve months, and now it’s just about picking up from where you left off.”
“You have more time to absorb everything and improve — both personally and as a team. The second year always flows more smoothly… so I imagine we’ll see the results in 2026,” he concluded.
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