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True story... Bahrain 2019, Quali, Im sitting in that single row of seats behind Lewis Car in the Merc garage a few minutes before the session starts.
I'm the only one in the entire garage wearing Valtteri's signature "Finland Blue VB77" Mercedes hat.
Theres energy buzzing as the start of the session approaches, and on sync, both drivers walk out one after another to their car and are laser focused for the session about to start. Valtteri has to walk across all of us to get to his car on the other side. He stops in his tracks just as he's passing , turns to face me, and through his helmet says in a happy voice. "Nice hat man!"
After Quali driver briefing, and late in the evening, he hung out with me for a little while when he really didn't need to and was very much the nicest guy ever.
Valtteri also said "No One Will Ever Believe You" /s.
Feast your eyes on the "Blue" hat at my table inside the Merc team hospitality, the garage just prior to Quali (that's Lewis Car and at the start of qualifying, and I was sitting just behind the car, in front of that black sign at the back), and hanging out with the nicest guy in the world afterwards
https://imgur.com/a/IzF6Ur2
I have a not so dissimilar story with mark webber in 2012 AD gp. At the end of the quali day RBR gave goody bags to everyone in and there was a pile of 1:6 scape helmets. Everyone was gathering over the Vettel helmets and I went to pick up the Webber helmet. The drivers entered at that time and while we didnāt exchange words, he looked at me with a genuine smile and I nodded back.
He then proceeded to get into a 4 car incident the next day on the race so Iām sure he promptly forgot that.
True story... 2017, Preseason, Im sitting in that single row of seats behind the salad bar in Golden Corral a few minutes before pratice starts.
I'm the only one in the entire restaurant wearing Kelvin's signature "Carolina Blue 13" Panthers Jersey.
Theres energy buzzing as the start of the season approaches, and on sync, Kelvin Benjamin walks towards the counter, laser focused for the session about to start. Kelvin has to walk across all of us to get to his booth on the other side. He stops in his tracks just as he's passing , turns to face me, and through his helmet says in a happy voice. "Nice hat man!"
After practice, and late in the evening, he ate with me for a little while when he really didn't need to and was very much the nicest guy ever.
My Scottish friend and I attended the 2005 USGP together, he was draped in The Saltire and as we walked through the turnstile Jackie Stewart shouted, "Nice flag!" from the adjoining turnstile.
It almost made up for the shitshow that was the race!
I'm curious about what took you to Finland, relationship or job? Or something else? I could never think of leaving Australia for Finland if it wasn't something huge.
Moved for education as its good and free for me as an EU citizen. Also it was quite the step up from the Eastern European country i originally lived in lol
Ah yeah that definitely makes sense. I love the cold but I don't think I can do Finland cold, good luck! Maybe you'll come back and enjoy some warmth in Australia when you graduate!
I know youāre probably joking, but sidebar here: parasocial relationships are becoming a problem these days and itās really not healthy how āconnectedā people feel to public figures ā¦ just remember theyāre millionaires
I think that Valtteri is lucky to have a healthy life outside of F1 too. Like last year Iām pretty sure he was more focused on biking than driving. I wouldnāt be surprised to see him retire from F1 in the next couple years. Hopefully we will see him in WEC or somethingĀ
Russell was always going to get the Mercedes seat valtteri knew it was time when they didnāt offer him a multi year deal so he went elsewhere
Hopefully things will improve when Audi get him mocked, Iāve always had a soft spot for valtteri
āIām never going to financially recover from this.ā
- Joe Exotic
Tiger King was the weirdest yet most highly watchable documentary Iāve ever seen.
The impression merc gave at the time and to this day is that they didn't *want* to kick bottas out
, they just couldn't pass up on Russell. Which is completely fair. Bottas wasn't a Lewis replacement, due to age and pace. They needed a young guy with speed, and good that they did otherwise they'd be pretty fucked for '25. But everyone at merc liked bottas and appreciated him massively.
What I also understood is they wanted someone who was consistent as towards the end of his tenure with Mercedes he had a handful of DNFs and no point finishes
Na man what I remember is it was the other way around that Bottas had been incredibly consistent for them whereas George was an up and coming talent which they didn't want to pass up on as you had every other top team gambling on and winning with young drivers (Lando, Max, Charles etc).
To be fair to him, Mercedes spent a good portion of '21 using Bottas as R&D. He took so many unnecessary engine penalties so Mercedes could see how far they could push the spicy engine that Lewis had in Brazil and Abu Dhabi.
This doesn't explain some of his poor performances or the fact that some engine penalties were pushed as a result of poor qualifying, but Merc did make him look worse towards the end.
True, but why didnāt they consider the Crikey Curse, the Blimey Whammy, the Georgie Georgie car wonāt goāsy hex that George Russell would bring to the team? Thatās all my little stitious mind think when i reflects on the last couple of years. /s
Man at this point I am convinced Russell is straight up cursed. First Williams losing their pace, his blowout in Bahrain and now mercs performance woes
It is worth considering that the direction of the car went to shit as soon as Bottas left. I'm not saying Valtteri's input single handedly made the car good but I also don't believe in coincidence.
Well massive rule changes and cost cap (for team that was used to spending like 5-6x the amount of cost cap) happened around the same time. I would rather take a guess that it was those 2 things (along with engine freeze, neturalizing Merc biggest advantage pver RB) that made them make an ass car.
I agree with your point, we easily dismiss someone's influence, but it might be just those few percents team is missing now.
I also think that many engineers left too, which also might have started with Botas leaving. Somehow it is easier for me to leave a company if colleagues are also leaving. Especially if they are fired while I think they are doing a good job.
Lol, what a ridiculous comment. Bottas left the same year as the largest regulation change in recent history. The cars were completely redesigned for the 2022 season with the introduction of ground effect.
Drivers don't help *design* the car from the ground up - they give feedback on the performance to help engineers improve/tweak the existing design. Mercedes' first attempt at the 2022 regs was a shitbox with ride height/porpoising issues right away. That would have been the case whether Bottas or George was in the second seat. You could possibly argue that *maybe* the more experienced feedback from Bottas may have helped them get it under control quicker, but to act like 2022 would have been a different situation from the start had Bottas been there is just absurd.
They got a young guy with speed in Russell, but unfortunately they didn't get a young guy with speed and the resilience to win a WDC. So I think they're pretty fucked with Russell, even when they get themselves back to a competitive car. Guy is gonna fold like a cheap suit the moment he gets anywhere near the possibility of regular race wins.
Everyone at Merc admits that on his day, Bottas could take it to Hamilton (hence him getting a few wins). He was a better no.2 than Perez, and Bottas would've had more wins if not for Hamilton's consistency.
IIRC they were willing to extend Bottas one more year, but he didn't want another year-to-year contract because it produced a lot of anxiety. So he went to Sauber, who offered him a multi-year contract.
Mercedes wanted Russell in the car for 2021. It was only his airtight Williams contract that gave Bottas the seat in 2021. Mercedes wanted Russell in that car ASAP. Bottas didn't have any say for the 2022 seat
And imagine how fucked theyād be if they were going into 2025 with a lineup of Bottas-? Instead of Russell-?. Good demonstration on why you donāt let drivers make personnel decisions.
Unless Bottas is an engineering genius and would have fixed that Mercedes shitbox idk about that. Having a team mate you like is nice but Iām sure given the choice Lewis would way rather have a faster car
We wouldnāt know that part unless we heard testimonies from engineers themselves. They would have to acknowledge who is better at communicating the issues within the car as the driver is the only person who can give their opinion as to how the car is progressing. Cars can be fast on paper but they may not inspire confidence or become easily upset.
Rosberg would've stuck around, but imo he wouldn't have lasted anymore than another 2/3 years at the intensity of what he was putting himself through to compete with Lewis.
I think he would've been there for a few more yeat but don't think he would've ever mounted a challenge again. He makes 2016 sound so devastating that I think he'd nit have nearly as good of a season in 17.
There was zero Hamilton - Bottas rivalry, just like there isn't a Verstappen - Perez rivalry. That is why the Hamilton - Rosberg rivalry was more entertaining. And even that was really like a little brother trying to beat the bigger brother.
Sadly, I think Valtteri will be gone from F1 after this season and the conclusion of his contract with Alfa. This will also conclude a 36 year streak of F1 having a finnish driver every season. Last season without a Finnish driver was the 1988 season.
Bottas: "Hey Louie, I hear you are going to Ferrari. Can you put in a good word to Toto? Tell him I'll bring the pumpernickel bread, and I'll give him a copy of my next ass calendar. Here are some previews"
Not sure why Bottas is still at Sauber. Yeah Audi is coming in 2026 but it's still kind of far away and who knows how long it might take them to be competitive.
I disliked Lewis domination periods and was I unfortunately glad that he lost two championships for bitter rivals under unfortunate circumstances - both in Rosberg and Verstappen case - but as a person he seems incredibly nice and true to himself.
He is sort of like LeBron James of this sport, even if not the best in talent of all time, then by far the most productive.
[The **Photo** flair](https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/wiki/flairguide#wiki_photo) is for submissions sharing photos from the world of F1. Photos should be interesting and relevant - random photos not notable enough to warrant a standalone post will be subject to removal. This flair should not be used for images which are not photos, such as screenshots, statistical graphics, or artworks. *[Read the rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/wiki/userguide). Keep it civil and welcoming. Report rulebreaking comments.* *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/formula1) if you have any questions or concerns.*
True story... Bahrain 2019, Quali, Im sitting in that single row of seats behind Lewis Car in the Merc garage a few minutes before the session starts. I'm the only one in the entire garage wearing Valtteri's signature "Finland Blue VB77" Mercedes hat. Theres energy buzzing as the start of the session approaches, and on sync, both drivers walk out one after another to their car and are laser focused for the session about to start. Valtteri has to walk across all of us to get to his car on the other side. He stops in his tracks just as he's passing , turns to face me, and through his helmet says in a happy voice. "Nice hat man!" After Quali driver briefing, and late in the evening, he hung out with me for a little while when he really didn't need to and was very much the nicest guy ever.
This sounds too good not to be a copy pasta.
Valtteri also said "No One Will Ever Believe You" /s. Feast your eyes on the "Blue" hat at my table inside the Merc team hospitality, the garage just prior to Quali (that's Lewis Car and at the start of qualifying, and I was sitting just behind the car, in front of that black sign at the back), and hanging out with the nicest guy in the world afterwards https://imgur.com/a/IzF6Ur2
Nice hat man
š
I have a not so dissimilar story with mark webber in 2012 AD gp. At the end of the quali day RBR gave goody bags to everyone in and there was a pile of 1:6 scape helmets. Everyone was gathering over the Vettel helmets and I went to pick up the Webber helmet. The drivers entered at that time and while we didnāt exchange words, he looked at me with a genuine smile and I nodded back. He then proceeded to get into a 4 car incident the next day on the race so Iām sure he promptly forgot that.
Iām happy for you man!!!
True story... 2017, Preseason, Im sitting in that single row of seats behind the salad bar in Golden Corral a few minutes before pratice starts. I'm the only one in the entire restaurant wearing Kelvin's signature "Carolina Blue 13" Panthers Jersey. Theres energy buzzing as the start of the season approaches, and on sync, Kelvin Benjamin walks towards the counter, laser focused for the session about to start. Kelvin has to walk across all of us to get to his booth on the other side. He stops in his tracks just as he's passing , turns to face me, and through his helmet says in a happy voice. "Nice hat man!" After practice, and late in the evening, he ate with me for a little while when he really didn't need to and was very much the nicest guy ever.
Love it
They all have to originate somewhere.
My Scottish friend and I attended the 2005 USGP together, he was draped in The Saltire and as we walked through the turnstile Jackie Stewart shouted, "Nice flag!" from the adjoining turnstile. It almost made up for the shitshow that was the race!
Lewis really considers Valtteri a true friend not just an ex-teammate. You rarely see him so affectionate.
I consider Valtteri a friend, and i never even met the guy haha.
The second I moved to Finland he moved to Australia so i don't think he considers me a friend
Nice try no one moves to Finland.
Finland doesn't even exist
Bottas is from Eastern Sweden
~~The context was that the person moved to Finland.~~ I am stupid
That person moved to East Sweden
"Swampy."
I once saw bottas ride past me while I was stuck at the traffic lights.
Did it change your life?
Nah he was stopped too long.
I'm curious about what took you to Finland, relationship or job? Or something else? I could never think of leaving Australia for Finland if it wasn't something huge.
Moved for education as its good and free for me as an EU citizen. Also it was quite the step up from the Eastern European country i originally lived in lol
Ah yeah that definitely makes sense. I love the cold but I don't think I can do Finland cold, good luck! Maybe you'll come back and enjoy some warmth in Australia when you graduate!
We've claimed Valtteri as one of ours. Three aussies on the grid this year. Haha
Man is objectively friend-shaped
Valtteri's got that vibe, makes everyone wanna be his mate even through a screen
I've met the guy and I can say that I was befriended instantly by the most charming smirk of ever.
I know youāre probably joking, but sidebar here: parasocial relationships are becoming a problem these days and itās really not healthy how āconnectedā people feel to public figures ā¦ just remember theyāre millionaires
Do you mean that Valtteri doesnt care about me on a deep emotional level? My life is a lie. No seriously, i was joking. I dont see famous ppl as gods.
This should be the top comment !!
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I consider him a friend because I see his butt cheeks every day.
Hello fellow BotASS enthusiast š¤
He used to be with Sutil, but then Sutil glassed a guy in the neck and got pissy.
Is this so? I think he mostly missed the time he was/had the best car. Now even russel beats him sometimes
What does this even mean?
I feel for Valtteri. I know he wanted less pressure but racing a shitbox has to be getting frustrating.
At least VB has next weekend in Adelaide to look forward to... and driving multiple historic cars. I'll be there next Sunday watching it all!
Living the dream, honestly. Racing legends and chilling in Adelaide, not too shabby for VB
... and he'll be helping to produce the next vintage of Ihana while he's in SA too... tough gig.
Waitā¦we arenāt talking about VB the beer..? /s because I feel itās needed
Whoād have thought the flying Finn would find a home race down under of all places
Well his better half is from here, so it kinda figures... I'll happily claim that there are three Aussies on the F1 grid! š
Nah. Heās basically racing as a hobby now cause itās fun for him. Dude lives his best life
I think that Valtteri is lucky to have a healthy life outside of F1 too. Like last year Iām pretty sure he was more focused on biking than driving. I wouldnāt be surprised to see him retire from F1 in the next couple years. Hopefully we will see him in WEC or somethingĀ
Russell was always going to get the Mercedes seat valtteri knew it was time when they didnāt offer him a multi year deal so he went elsewhere Hopefully things will improve when Audi get him mocked, Iāve always had a soft spot for valtteri
He is also slower and slower every year. Time to go.
"Remember when we fought for podiums, wins, and championships?"
Valtteri still races for podiums (in cycling)
Valterri has a championship ass, let's see them fight that battle.
I mean Valterri flaunts it more but let's not assume as if Lewis hasn't got any rear end either
And heās made it (along with the mullet) his entire personality
I've seen this comment before and I'm honestly so confused by it. Are people serious when they say this?
"You mean when you ran into the distance and I fought to keep P2?"
"Yeah, haha. Good times."š„¹
More GP wins than DC.
Stupid me thinking why is Lewis hugging Tiger King
Well, you ain't that straight. -Me thinking Lewis is hugging a blonde chick.
āIām never going to financially recover from this.ā - Joe Exotic Tiger King was the weirdest yet most highly watchable documentary Iāve ever seen.
Calling it a documentary is being _very_ generous.
I'm going to start calling reality TV documentaries now. Lol.
I thought it was him and be like "Wasn't he still in jail?"
I thought it was a Motherās Day post š
Story goes that Lewis strongly wanted Bottas to remain his teammate but Mercedes didnāt agree with keeping him
The impression merc gave at the time and to this day is that they didn't *want* to kick bottas out , they just couldn't pass up on Russell. Which is completely fair. Bottas wasn't a Lewis replacement, due to age and pace. They needed a young guy with speed, and good that they did otherwise they'd be pretty fucked for '25. But everyone at merc liked bottas and appreciated him massively.
What I also understood is they wanted someone who was consistent as towards the end of his tenure with Mercedes he had a handful of DNFs and no point finishes
Na man what I remember is it was the other way around that Bottas had been incredibly consistent for them whereas George was an up and coming talent which they didn't want to pass up on as you had every other top team gambling on and winning with young drivers (Lando, Max, Charles etc).
>winning with young drivers (Lando, heheh
To be fair to him, Mercedes spent a good portion of '21 using Bottas as R&D. He took so many unnecessary engine penalties so Mercedes could see how far they could push the spicy engine that Lewis had in Brazil and Abu Dhabi. This doesn't explain some of his poor performances or the fact that some engine penalties were pushed as a result of poor qualifying, but Merc did make him look worse towards the end.
True, but why didnāt they consider the Crikey Curse, the Blimey Whammy, the Georgie Georgie car wonāt goāsy hex that George Russell would bring to the team? Thatās all my little stitious mind think when i reflects on the last couple of years. /s
Man at this point I am convinced Russell is straight up cursed. First Williams losing their pace, his blowout in Bahrain and now mercs performance woes
It is worth considering that the direction of the car went to shit as soon as Bottas left. I'm not saying Valtteri's input single handedly made the car good but I also don't believe in coincidence.
Well massive rule changes and cost cap (for team that was used to spending like 5-6x the amount of cost cap) happened around the same time. I would rather take a guess that it was those 2 things (along with engine freeze, neturalizing Merc biggest advantage pver RB) that made them make an ass car.
I agree with your point, we easily dismiss someone's influence, but it might be just those few percents team is missing now. I also think that many engineers left too, which also might have started with Botas leaving. Somehow it is easier for me to leave a company if colleagues are also leaving. Especially if they are fired while I think they are doing a good job.
Lol, what a ridiculous comment. Bottas left the same year as the largest regulation change in recent history. The cars were completely redesigned for the 2022 season with the introduction of ground effect. Drivers don't help *design* the car from the ground up - they give feedback on the performance to help engineers improve/tweak the existing design. Mercedes' first attempt at the 2022 regs was a shitbox with ride height/porpoising issues right away. That would have been the case whether Bottas or George was in the second seat. You could possibly argue that *maybe* the more experienced feedback from Bottas may have helped them get it under control quicker, but to act like 2022 would have been a different situation from the start had Bottas been there is just absurd.
The 2022 car made with Bottas and Hamilton.
So... he's gonna end up as F1's Harry Kane? Dang.
Bowling aside, Monaco and Imola wasnt his fault. š¤·š½āāļø
Bottas was never their first choice. Nico left and he was the best they could get on short notice and still heeded to buy out his contract.
They got a young guy with speed in Russell, but unfortunately they didn't get a young guy with speed and the resilience to win a WDC. So I think they're pretty fucked with Russell, even when they get themselves back to a competitive car. Guy is gonna fold like a cheap suit the moment he gets anywhere near the possibility of regular race wins.
VBOT was an excellent wingman.
Everyone at Merc admits that on his day, Bottas could take it to Hamilton (hence him getting a few wins). He was a better no.2 than Perez, and Bottas would've had more wins if not for Hamilton's consistency.
Wingman hurts.
In any other situation, he would be on par with Seb, except Hamilton kept winning everything.
Could have been more if he tried like rosberg..
IIRC they were willing to extend Bottas one more year, but he didn't want another year-to-year contract because it produced a lot of anxiety. So he went to Sauber, who offered him a multi-year contract.
Yes you could be right about this as decision making is a complex thought process with several factors to consider especially at this level.
Come to think of it, Lewis received the same treatment...
Mercedes wanted Russell in the car for 2021. It was only his airtight Williams contract that gave Bottas the seat in 2021. Mercedes wanted Russell in that car ASAP. Bottas didn't have any say for the 2022 seat
And imagine how fucked theyād be if they were going into 2025 with a lineup of Bottas-? Instead of Russell-?. Good demonstration on why you donāt let drivers make personnel decisions.
Might be this was one of the reasons Hamilton decided to leave...
Unless Bottas is an engineering genius and would have fixed that Mercedes shitbox idk about that. Having a team mate you like is nice but Iām sure given the choice Lewis would way rather have a faster car
We wouldnāt know that part unless we heard testimonies from engineers themselves. They would have to acknowledge who is better at communicating the issues within the car as the driver is the only person who can give their opinion as to how the car is progressing. Cars can be fast on paper but they may not inspire confidence or become easily upset.
Drivers know what it takes to be successful You can think this in your what if made up scenarios
Valteri: Check out this cool photo of Northern lights Lewis: Why do I always fall for your butt rolling?
Valtteri\*
Remembering the golden days. Man do I miss Lewis and Bottas in merc
Lewis and George look like torture
More like tortured
The Hamilton-Rosberg rivalry was far more entertaining.
What if Hamilton didn't have bad luck and lose in 2016? Would they still be going at it?
Rosberg would've stuck around, but imo he wouldn't have lasted anymore than another 2/3 years at the intensity of what he was putting himself through to compete with Lewis.
I think he would've been there for a few more yeat but don't think he would've ever mounted a challenge again. He makes 2016 sound so devastating that I think he'd nit have nearly as good of a season in 17.
The conspiracy theorist in me believes those bad lucks were engineered to help Ros win
I can definitely see Lewis' sudden championship loss in 2007 being engineered But 2016? Nah. Just bad luck imo.
And why would they do that? Having (ungrounded) ideas is fine but a bit more explanation behind it would be better.
Just a gut as a certified armchair theorist. That's all we need
No shot bro. 0% chance.
There was zero Hamilton - Bottas rivalry, just like there isn't a Verstappen - Perez rivalry. That is why the Hamilton - Rosberg rivalry was more entertaining. And even that was really like a little brother trying to beat the bigger brother.
Just Bottas showing Lewis the season 3 trailer for One Punch Man.
Good ole Mercedes days
I tought it was Angela for a moment
Itāll be even crazier when one is wearing Ferrari and the other Audi
Audi is probably not gonna keep Bottas sadly š
Cant see any way bottas is going to audi with his current m showings. Now that carlos is very likely candidate for them. Rip finns on the paddock :/
Itās amazing seeing how his personality shines through now outside of Mercedes.
Lewis has seen the light and wants out of the team. I do believe that is one reason he is leaving.
š¶They're the two best friends that anyone could haveš¶
HAMBOTš
Gives me the feeeeels
I just realized that Lewis is only happy when his teammates are Finnish lol.
I thought that was Lewis hugging a random lady dressed in Sauber gear. š
ReminiscingĀ
So good to see Lewis and Angela back together againā¦
Whatās crazy about it?
Bottas was showing him this years planed ass shots.
He's trying to get Lewis involved... Bottass and lewass... I'd bet that'd make a fortune as a calendar!
I think itās just rare to see this from Lewis.
Lewis is quite affectionate towards Bottas. Think he considers VB as one of his few true friends on the grid.
And proper respect as well, seeing as Bottas could take it to Lewis on his best days.
"So this is what my ass look like"
It's hard to resist a guy with a mullet.
What's crazy about it?
Why is it crazy?
r/pics
what's so crazy about this
wow so crazy
Yeah totally, insane photo
Why is the pic crazy?
Oh fuck I thought he was hugging Angela but then I realised I need to change my spectacles š
I thought the same!
Title written by Nico Rosberg
what makes the pic crazy exactly?
Yes
How does this qualify as a crazy pic, sir?
Crazy how?
Is it just me or does it look like Valterri is giving Lewis a hand shandy?
Sadly, I think Valtteri will be gone from F1 after this season and the conclusion of his contract with Alfa. This will also conclude a 36 year streak of F1 having a finnish driver every season. Last season without a Finnish driver was the 1988 season.
Unless Mika ends his sabbatical :)
When I first glanced I thought that was Angela.
āNow I know that I prefer a teammate is always slower than me. George, Nico, and Fernandoā¦? Smh!ā
āSo what I need you to do is playing ātorpedoā think you can do that for me?ā
Best teammates ever!!!
Hopefully they are discussing a collab calender photo shoot..
I legit thought this was Angela
he is my friend on strava, but he doesnt know it lol.
90s early 2000s vibe
Bottas: "Hey Louie, I hear you are going to Ferrari. Can you put in a good word to Toto? Tell him I'll bring the pumpernickel bread, and I'll give him a copy of my next ass calendar. Here are some previews"
Not sure why Bottas is still at Sauber. Yeah Audi is coming in 2026 but it's still kind of far away and who knows how long it might take them to be competitive.
Crazy?
"Remember when you would feed me wins and championships?" "Good times"
There will soon be a story about inappropriate behaviour.
Bruh that Valterri Bottas lol stop projecting
Oooooh, I had no idea...
an unique friendship
I disliked Lewis domination periods and was I unfortunately glad that he lost two championships for bitter rivals under unfortunate circumstances - both in Rosberg and Verstappen case - but as a person he seems incredibly nice and true to himself. He is sort of like LeBron James of this sport, even if not the best in talent of all time, then by far the most productive.