Bottas: I don't think I've hit my peak yet as a driver

Valtteri Bottas insists he hasn’t reached his peak as a driver, believing Alfa Romeo’s environment has been key to him extracting his full potential this season.

Bottas made the switch to Alfa Romeo for 2022 after a five-year stint at reigning champions Mercedes, a period that saw him notch up 10 grand prix wins.

The Finn openly admitted this season has been the most enjoyable of his Formula 1 career so far, as he took on the role of team leader alongside rookie team-mate Zhou Guanyu.

But while he admits it is difficult to measure if he is driving better than in his final campaign at Mercedes last year, he is clear he has got a lot more to offer before he decides to retire.

“That is quite hard to measure, because obviously everything is new this year,” said Bottas, as quoted by The Race. “But in terms of how I feel in the car, I feel really comfortable.

“I don’t think I’ve peaked yet as a driver. I think it’s individual and for me, it’s not yet so I’m still learning. That’s the beauty of the sport, if you still want to learn.

“I guess it also depends on the atmosphere and the surroundings and everything. For me, it works. And I really like this car and being able to really also set it up how I want. So that’s nice.”

Despite not scoring points in the four consecutive races before the summer break, Bottas ended the first half of the season in the top 10 of the drivers’ championship.

The 10-time grand prix winners’ experience has proved an invaluable asset for Alfa Romeo, with the Hinwil-based outfit on course for its best-ever finish in the constructors’ championship since the dawn of the V6 hybrid era.

“With Valtteri, we knew what we would get,” said Alfa Romeo technical director Jan Monchaux. “And he fully confirmed