Career Timeline of Valtteri Bottas: Major Achievements and Milestones

Discover the career path of Valtteri Bottas, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Valtteri Bottas is a Finnish racing driver who competed in Formula One from 2013 to 2024. He achieved significant success with Mercedes, finishing as the World Drivers' Championship runner-up in both 2019 and 2020. Over his 12 seasons in Formula 1, Bottas secured 10 Grand Prix victories. He currently serves as a reserve driver for Mercedes.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

2007: Progressed to Junior Formulae

In 2007, Valtteri Bottas progressed to junior formulae.

2008: Double Championship Win

In 2008, Valtteri Bottas won both the Formula Renault Eurocup and the Formula Renault Northern European Cup, mirroring Filipe Albuquerque's 2006 achievement.

2008: Formula Renault NEC and Eurocup Wins

In 2008, Valtteri Bottas won his first championship at the Formula Renault NEC. He also won the Formula Renault Eurocup, edging out Daniel Ricciardo.

June 2009: Masters of Formula 3 Win

In June 2009, Valtteri Bottas won the 2009 Masters of Formula 3, also claiming pole position and setting the fastest lap of the race, marking a significant achievement in his career.

2009: Masters of Formula 3 Win

In June 2009, Valtteri Bottas won the Masters of Formula 3, also claiming pole position and setting the fastest lap of the race.

January 2010: Signed as Williams F1 Test Driver

In January 2010, Valtteri Bottas was signed as the official Formula One test driver for the Williams team, marking a step forward in his racing career.

2010: Second Masters of Formula 3 Title

In 2010, Valtteri Bottas became the first driver to win the F3 Masters title for the second time.

2011: GP3 Series Championship

In 2011, Valtteri Bottas contested the GP3 Series, securing the title by winning the penultimate race after a strong performance in the latter half of the season.

2011: Continued as Williams Test Driver

In 2011, Valtteri Bottas continued in his role as test driver for Williams, participating in his first full test in November at Yas Marina Circuit.

November 2012: Named Williams Race Driver for 2013

In November 2012, it was announced that Valtteri Bottas would replace Bruno Senna and partner Pastor Maldonado as a full-time Williams race driver for the 2013 season.

2012: Expanded Role and Grand Prix Weekend Debut

In 2012, Valtteri Bottas's role as a test driver for Williams expanded after his GP3 Series victory, taking part in fifteen Friday practice sessions and making his Grand Prix weekend debut at the Malaysian Grand Prix.

2013: Formula One Debut

In 2013, Valtteri Bottas began competing in Formula One.

2013: Signed for Williams

In 2013, Valtteri Bottas signed for Williams to partner Pastor Maldonado, making his Formula One debut at the Australian Grand Prix.

September 2014: Retention with Williams

In September 2014, it was announced that Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa would continue driving for Williams in the 2015 season.

2014: First Formula One Podium and Success

In 2014, Valtteri Bottas achieved his first Formula One podium at the Austrian Grand Prix, finishing third. This was followed by additional podium finishes at the British and German Grand Prix, establishing himself as a competitive force.

2014: Continued with Williams

In 2014, Valtteri Bottas continued racing for Williams, partnering with Felipe Massa. The season included recovering to fifth place at the Australian Grand Prix after a tyre puncture, and experiencing an engine failure at the Monaco Grand Prix.

2014: Fourth in the Championship and Maiden Podium

In 2014, Valtteri Bottas finished fourth in the championship, taking his maiden career podium at the Austrian Grand Prix.

2014: Fourth in the World Drivers' Championship

The 2014 season concluded with Valtteri Bottas finishing fourth in the World Drivers' Championship, surpassing notable drivers like Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso, and contributing significantly to Williams' third-place finish in the World Constructors' Championship.

November 2016: Williams' 2017 Lineup Announcement

In November 2016, Williams announced that Valtteri Bottas and Lance Stroll would be their driver lineup for the 2017 season.

2016: 2016 Season with Williams

In 2016, Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa remained teammates at Williams. Bottas achieved his best qualifying performance of the season at the Russian Grand Prix and claimed the team's only podium finish of the season at the Canadian Grand Prix.

January 2017: Signed with Mercedes

In January 2017, Mercedes announced that they had signed Valtteri Bottas to partner Lewis Hamilton after Nico Rosberg's retirement.

September 2017: Mercedes Announces Bottas for 2018 Season

In September 2017, Mercedes announced that Valtteri Bottas would remain with the team for the 2018 season.

2017: Launched Valtteri Bottas Duathlon

In 2017, Valtteri Bottas launched the Valtteri Bottas Duathlon, an annual sporting event held in Finland, which raises money for charity.

2017: Signed for Mercedes

In 2017, Valtteri Bottas signed for Mercedes, replacing Nico Rosberg. He took his maiden pole position in Bahrain and his maiden win in Russia, finishing third in the championship.

July 2018: Bottas Extends Contract with Mercedes

In July 2018, Bottas signed a contract extension with Mercedes for the 2019 season, with an option for 2020, continuing alongside Hamilton.

2018: Bottas's 2018 Season

In 2018, Bottas started 15th at the Australian Grand Prix after a qualifying crash and gearbox penalty, finishing eighth. He qualified third in Bahrain and China, leading in China before finishing third. A puncture in Azerbaijan led to retirement. He secured second-place finishes in Spain and Canada.

2018: Bottas' Disappointing 2018 Season and Near Retirement

In 2018, Valtteri Bottas finished the season without a win, the first Mercedes driver to do so since Michael Schumacher in 2012, despite seven second-place finishes. He finished fifth in the World Drivers' Championship. He considered retirement due to losing the joy of F1.

January 2019: Participated in Arctic Rally

In January 2019, Valtteri Bottas participated in the Arctic Rally, where he secured a stage win and finished fifth overall.

December 2019: Won Rallycircuit Côte d'Azur

In December 2019, Valtteri Bottas won the Rallycircuit Côte d'Azur, which was based in Paul Ricard.

2019: Contract Extension Agreement

During the 2019 season, Bottas agreed to a one-year contract extension with Mercedes for the 2020 season.

2019: Bottas's Successful 2019 Season

In 2019, Bottas finished second in the World Drivers' Championship, recording four wins, fifteen podiums, five pole positions, and three fastest laps, marking his most successful year at Mercedes.

2019: Runner-up in the World Drivers' Championship

In 2019, Valtteri Bottas finished as runner-up in the World Drivers' Championship with Mercedes.

2019: Runner-up in the Championship

In 2019, Valtteri Bottas finished runner-up to Lewis Hamilton in the championship.

October 2020: Participated in Extreme E Test

In October 2020, Valtteri Bottas partook in an Extreme E test, alongside Jean-Éric Vergne and Sébastien Loeb.

2020: Bottas' 2020 Season Performance

In 2020, Bottas continued with Mercedes. He took pole and won the Austrian Grand Prix. He was investigated for a COVID-19 protocol breach but was cleared. He finished second at the Styrian Grand Prix, had a poor start in Hungary, suffered a tyre failure at the British Grand Prix, and faced tyre issues at the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix.

2020: Second Runner-up in the World Drivers' Championship

In 2020, Valtteri Bottas finished as runner-up for the second time in the World Drivers' Championship with Mercedes.

2020: Second Runner-up Finish

In 2020, Valtteri Bottas finished runner-up to Lewis Hamilton for the second consecutive season.

2020: Option for 2020 Season

Valtteri Bottas's contract extension with Mercedes, signed in July 2018, included an option for the 2020 season.

January 2021: Competed in Arctic Lapland Rally

In January 2021, Valtteri Bottas competed in his third Arctic Lapland Rally. He secured a class podium and finished sixth overall.

March 2021: Co-ownership of Lahti Pelicans

In March 2021, Valtteri Bottas became a co-owner of the Lahti Pelicans ice hockey team of Finland's Liiga by purchasing a 10 percent stake in the team.

2021: Bottas' 2021 Season

In 2021, Bottas finished third at the Bahrain Grand Prix. He collided with George Russell at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. He qualified on pole at the Portuguese Grand Prix but finished third. A pit stop issue caused retirement at Monaco, and he struggled for pace at Azerbaijan, finishing 12th.

2021: Bottas' Final Year with Mercedes in 2021

In 2021, Valtteri Bottas finished third in the World Drivers' Championship and helped Mercedes secure the World Constructors' Championship. It was announced that 2021 would be his final year with Mercedes, replaced by George Russell.

2021: Final Win for Mercedes

In 2021, Valtteri Bottas took his final win for Mercedes at the Turkish Grand Prix and left at the end of the season.

April 2022: Launch of Oath Gin

In April 2022, Valtteri Bottas, in partnership with his girlfriend Cromwell, launched Oath, a premium gin.

May 2022: Photo Sold for Charity

In May 2022, more than 5,000 print copies were sold of a photo taken by Cromwell of Valtteri Bottas naked in an Aspen, Colorado stream, raising more than €50,000 for charity, in collaboration with German photographer Paul Ripke.

2022: Bottas's 2022 Season Conclusion

In 2022, Bottas finished 10th in the World Drivers' Championship, contributing to Alfa Romeo's sixth-place finish in the World Constructors' Championship, their best since 2012. He found the season enjoyable due to the relaxed environment.

2022: Bottas Joins Alfa Romeo for 2022

In 2022, Bottas joined Alfa Romeo on a multi-year deal. He finished sixth in Bahrain, retired in Saudi Arabia, scored points in Australia, targeted and achieved a top-five finish at Emilia Romagna, and qualified fifth at Miami.

2022: Bottas's Mid-Season Performance in 2022

In 2022, Valtteri Bottas finished ninth at the Monaco Grand Prix and had his first non-scoring race at Azerbaijan. He finished seventh in Canada, followed by a ten-race streak without points, including a retirement at the British Grand Prix and three consecutive retirements later in the season. He returned to the points in Mexico City and São Paulo.

2022: Joined Alfa Romeo

In 2022, Valtteri Bottas joined Alfa Romeo.

2022: Bottas' Move to Team as a "Mistake"

In 2022, Valtteri Bottas reflected on his move to the team, describing it as a "mistake" and noting a decline after the first year. He mentioned Frédéric Vasseur's presence influenced his decision to join and considered leaving when Vasseur moved to Ferrari, but was convinced to stay.

2022: Scheduled Race of Champions Debut

In 2022, Valtteri Bottas was set to make his Race of Champions debut, partnering with Mika Häkkinen, but he dropped out at the last minute.

2023: Bottas' Season in the Latter Half of 2023

In 2023, Bottas achieved a seventh-place qualifying in Hungary, but did not score points. He improved to finish 10th at the Italian Grand Prix. Technical issues at the Singapore Grand Prix and a collision at the Japanese Grand Prix led to retirements. He finished eighth in Qatar, and had a collision in Mexico City. Reliability issues caused retirements at the São Paulo Grand Prix, and he finished 17th after a collision in Las Vegas.

2023: Bottas' Performance in the First Half of 2023

In 2023, Bottas started the season with Alfa Romeo by finishing eighth at the Bahrain Grand Prix. He finished 18th in Saudi Arabia due to damage and 11th in Australia. After finishing 18th in Azerbaijan, he noted the improved handling of the C43 but its lack of performance. His first points since Bahrain came at the Canadian Grand Prix.

2023: BOTTASS 2024 Nude Calendar for Charity

In 2023, Valtteri Bottas again worked with Paul Ripke to create a nude calendar, titled BOTTASS 2024, which raised $150,000 for men's health organization Movember.

2023: Collaboration with ST. ALi coffee brand

In 2023, Valtteri Bottas announced a collaboration with coffee brand ST. ALi, and worked a shift as a barista at one of their locations, ahead of the Australian Grand Prix that year.

2023: Competed at Race of Champions

In 2023, Valtteri Bottas competed at the Race of Champions alongside Mika Häkkinen. Representing Finland in the Nations Cup tournament, they were knocked out by Team eROC. In the Champion of Champions tournament, Bottas was knocked out by Tom Kristensen.

2023: Retained seat for Alfa Romeo

In 2023, Valtteri Bottas retained his seat with Alfa Romeo.

December 2024: Bottas Re-joins Mercedes as Reserve Driver

In December 2024, Valtteri Bottas was announced to be re-joining Mercedes as a reserve driver for 2025, a move he described as "like coming back home".

2024: Return to Mercedes as Reserve Driver

After a non-scoring 2024 season at Sauber, Valtteri Bottas returned to Mercedes as a reserve driver.

2024: Bottas' 2024 Season Start

In 2024, Valtteri Bottas and Zhou were retained as the team rebranded to Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber. He finished 19th at the Bahrain Grand Prix after a slow pit stop. Pit stop issues continued at Saudi Arabia. A wheel nut problem at the Australian Grand Prix cost him time, and the team was fined. He retired from the Chinese Grand Prix due to an engine failure.

2024: UCI Gravel World Championships

In 2024, Valtteri Bottas raced in the men's 35–39 age category race at the UCI Gravel World Championships in Flemish Brabant, Belgium, finishing 134th. He had qualified after finishing sixth in his age group at the Swartberg 100 gravel race in South Africa in April.

2024: End of Formula One career

In 2024, Valtteri Bottas' career in Formula One came to an end.

2024: Continuation of Charitable Initiatives

Valtteri Bottas continued his charitable initiatives, leveraging his public image to support causes and raise funds for those in need.

2025: Bottas' Goal to Return to Full-Time Seat

In 2025, Valtteri Bottas stated his goal to return to a full-time seat in 2026. He also revealed he was offered a seat in the IndyCar Series but declined due to concerns about adapting to a new category.

2025: Negotiations with Audi and New Team Member

In 2025, Valtteri Bottas was in talks with Audi about joining their Sauber team takeover. The team signed Nico Hülkenberg for 2025, leading Bottas to express confidence in finding a seat but with narrowing options. Ultimately, the second seat went to Gabriel Bortoleto.