| Drivers: | Bottas v Hamilton |
|---|---|
| Team: | Mercedes |
| Races: | 20 |
| H2H Winner: | Hamilton (1/5/0) |
| Bottas | Hamilton | Winner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points | 305 | 363 | Hamilton |
| Race Result | 8 | 11 | Hamilton |
| Qualifying | 7 | 13 | Hamilton |
| Fastest Lap | 6 | 13 | Hamilton |
| Laps in Top 10 | 1141 | 1118 | Bottas |
| Best Result | 1st (x3) | 1st (x9) | Hamilton |
SEASON WRAP
In his fourth Championship winning year Lewis Hamilton was dominant over his new Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas. Bottas managed to score a win on a single factor – laps in the top 10. Considering the impressive reliability of Mercedes (only one DNF for the team for Bottas in Spain) and their regular appearance at the pointy end of the field this factor was very close and couldn’t be considered much of a feather in the Finn’s cap.
More impressive is Hamilton’s nine victories to Bottas’ three. A Championship winning factor result if ever there was one. Lewis’ ability to get the best out of a car in one flying lap is also highlighted in the 13 to 7 win over Valtteri in qualifying. Not only did Hamilton comprehensively beat Bottas in poles in 2017 he also beat a far more decorated driver – Michael Schumacher. At Monza Lewis scored his 69th pole position of his career taking the record for the most pole positions ever from the seven time World Champion.
Given the twin challenges of integrating with a new team and dealing with an imperious Lewis Hamilton Bottas ended the season admirably. Two poles and a win in the final two races of the season certainly helped Valtteri’s final head to head result after relatively poor performances in many races following the mid-season break.
The Finns certainly punch above their weight in Formula 1 but to beat Lewis Hamilton in our H2H matchup in 2018 Bottas is going to have to tap an extra vein of Finnish Sisu and move to a higher and more consistent level of performance.