'The whole situation almost made me walk away from the sport'

The Finnish driver, who returned to Formula 1 this year with Cadillac, was handed the opportunity of a lifetime at the end of 2016 when Nico Rosberg’s shock retirement opened the door to a full-time Mercedes seat alongside the seven-time world champion for five seasons before eventually leaving the team at the end of 2021.

Bottas endured a far from easy spell alongside his teammate, with the gap between the two becoming increasingly evident year after year as Hamilton continued to collect world titles, eventually reaching seven championships in 2021 and coming within touching distance of an eighth.

All things considered, the Finnish driver still managed to build a respectable record with ten victories, although he never truly succeeded in putting Hamilton under sustained pressure in the championship fight across any season. Writing in The Players’ Tribune, Bottas admitted he entered the 2018 campaign convinced he had what it took to become world champion and believed he was capable of being the strongest driver on the grid.

Instead, the season quickly evolved into one centred around supporting Hamilton’s title battle against Sebastian Vettel, with Bottas often asked to sacrifice his own races for the benefit of the team. The Finn acknowledged that accepting those orders was far from easy, especially in moments where he felt capable of fighting for victories himself, but ultimately accepted the role of supporting Hamilton’s championship push as Mercedes continued its dominant run in Formula 1.

Johnny Herbert believes Hamilton will eventually have to make a brutally honest judgement about his own level when the time comes to decide his Formula 1 future. The former FIA steward explained that even the greatest drivers inevitably reach a stage where extracting performance no longer feels as natural or effortless as it once did, especially after spending so many years competing at the very top of the sport.

He also pointed to the challenge of going up against younger teammates from the new generation, suggesting that the constant comparison can become an important factor in understanding whether a driver is still operating at the level required to fight consistently for victories and championships.

While making clear that Hamilton’s achievements and legacy are beyond question, Herbert stressed that every driver eventually arrives at a moment where they must recognise for themselves that their peak years may be behind them and decide whether it is the right time to step away from Formula 1.