Lewis Hamilton’s ex-teammate asserts Formula 1 is ‘not a fair sport’

Valtteri Bottas compared Formula 1 to the world of cycling and highlighted how a good car could provide a massive advantage to a driver.

Lewis Hamilton’s ex-teammate asserts Formula 1 is ‘not a fair sport’

Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton (images via IMAGO)

Just like any other driver, Lewis Hamilton’s ex-teammate Valtteri Bottas has a few hobbies apart from racing. Bottas is a passionate cycling enthusiast and recently he shared the difference between cycling and Formula 1. He highlighted the drawbacks Formula 1 brings compared to cycling which is biased in his opinion.

Valtteri Bottas once interviewed an a cyclist friend who used to work for the Jaguar F1 team. He said that in Formula 1 the car is 90% of what makes a difference, while the driver is 10%. On the other hand, in cycling, it’s almost the opposite, the rider’s skill and effort are much more important than the bike itself. However, Bottas wasn’t suggesting that the 10% the driver contributes in F1 is unimportant. He meant that both the car and the driver are crucial and you need both to win.

Formula 1 is 90 per cent the car, 10 percent the driver, cycling is almost exactly the opposite way around’. He wasn’t saying what that 10 percent the driver brings is any less important, because, of course, without the whole lot, you don’t win.
Valtteri Bottas said on Pitlane Life Lessons
YouTube video

Bottas found it very refreshing that in cycling, it only depended on riders skills and effort rather than just the equipment. In Formula 1, success relies on a good car and strong team, making the sport feel unfair due to unequal resources. This makes cycling more fair compared to Formula 1 according to the 10 times GP winner.

FS Video
So for me, that’s really refreshing, because, like you mentioned with Formula 1, you need the car, you need the team if you want to succeed. And it’s not a fair sport, that’s for sure.
Valtteri Bottas added
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Valtteri Bottas ‘loves’ to challenge himself in Formula 1

Valtteri Bottas stated that in F1 a driver is just as important as the car. The car’s performance matters but drivers skills and efforts plays a crucial role in succeeding. Bottas participates in races because he loves challenges, where everyone starts with similar opportunities to succeed. The sport is not just about having the best equipment, but also about how well each driver performs. This makes the competition exciting for the drivers and fans to watch.

Valtteri Bottas
Valtteri Bottas (via IMAGO)
And yeah, obviously, still, machinery plays a part, but that’s why I love doing those events and challenging myself, because I feel like on the start line, pretty much everyone, more or less, they have the same chances to win or do well.
Valtteri Bottas stated.

Certainly, In Formula 1, the quality of the car must match the driver’s skills. Unlike in cycling, where an expert cyclist can win with an average bike, the performance of the car plays a crucial role in determining success.

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