Valtteri Bottas says that his end-of-season increased aggression on the race track was a clear warning to his rivals who should now exert caution when racing wheel-to-wheel with the Finn.
In the last stretch of the 2015 championship the Williams driver had two collisions with countryman Kimi Raikkonen, with Bottas retiring in Russia on the penultimate lap but surviving the second encounter in Mexico to clinch a third place podium finish.
On both occasions Bottas raised his aggression level and will do so again in the future, while always calculating the risks.
“Maybe the last few races I started being more aggressive,” Bottas told Autosport. Normally I’ve been known as a conservative driver, always bringing the car home.
“I still calculate every risk but at some point there is the situation where it is better not to back off.
“It can either get you a good result or in the worst case maybe some other drivers know that they shouldn’t try that, because you don’t give way.”
Bottas believes his ‘no compromise’ approach stemmed from a disappointing season and the will to be perceived as a determined and decisive driver.
“I want to fight for every single position and I also want to prove that I can race hard and I’m not going to give up. In some cases, I’m not going to back off.
“I will keep my style as always, always calculating the risks,” he concluded. “But if I see a clear opportunity to go for it, I go for it and don’t back off.”
