Still waters run deep with Valtteri Bottas. While any flicker of sentiment has tended to be sublimated beneath that icy Finnish façade, his satisfaction at finally beating Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton in a straight fight was self-evident under the arc lights of Yas Marina. “I couldn’t be happier,” he said, his stern features softening into a smile. “Yes, Finns don’t show emotion, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have it.”
This was just the third victory of Bottas’ career and by some distances the most vital. While Hamilton glided into his winter break with barely a care in the world, his fourth championship long since secured, the Silver Arrows’ No 2 driver needed to keep proving that he was worthy of their faith. Here in this garish, floodlit corner of desert, he seized his own chance to shine. Bottas has only signed a one-year contract extension at Mercedes, but there was a poise about his lights-to-flag win here to suggest that he could yet keep Hamilton honest next season.
“It can be difficult for a new guy to acclimatise, to get used to different people, but Valtteri has done an exceptional job,” said Hamilton, looking genuinely thrilled for his understudy. Contrast this smooth dynamic with the air of cordite 12 months ago, when a thunderous Hamilton lost the title to Nico Rosberg and found himself accused of causing “anarchy” by Toto Wolff, Mercedes’ team principal, for disobeying orders. For now, there is a sense, however fragile, of sweetness and light that is enabling both drivers to thrive.
Bottas was asked by one Scandinavian reporter if his triumph represented an early birthday gift for Finland, due to celebrate 100 years of independence next month. “Sure,” he shrugged, nonplussed. “I don’t have any other presents, so let it be.” He was almost faultless for the year’s last hurrah, guilty of just one lock-up all race to deny Hamilton any chance of making a pass. It is regrettable that the Abu Dhabi circuit designers, who had the space and budget to create anything they liked, came up with a contrived Disney-esque layout aptly described by Mark Webber as “Mickey Mouse”.
With overtaking painfully scarce, the huge fireworks display that heralded the chequered flag was hardly matched by pyrotechnics on track. “It’s one of the worst tracks for that,” acknowledged Hamilton, who with seven laps to go was within a couple of car lengths of Bottas, only to find no way by. “I was never going to overtake unless he made a massive mistake.”
