Valtteri Bottas ready to support F1 rookie Guanyu Zhou

Alfa Romeo is the only team on the grid with an all-new driver pairing with Bottas making the switch from Mercedes for this year.

Zhou makes the step up from Formula 2 after three strong seasons in F1’s feeder series.

Bottas has been in F1 since 2013, taking 10 grand prix victories and over 60 podium finishes.

With his vast experience and success, Bottas is prepared to help his less experienced teammate in his rookie year.

“I have good experience in the sport and having a rookie teammate, he will need support and I’m ready to give that,” Bottas said.

“In the end, if we want the results in the future, in the years to come, we need to be able to work together. I know what it feels like to be a rookie and you really rely on the team and your teammate as well. I’m sure we can work well together and I’m going to help Guanyu as much as I can on his journey to become a complete driver in Formula 1 and a competitive driver.

“So I look forward to it. He’s a nice guy and he’s got the will to work hard, so I’m sure we can achieve good things together.”

Since Alfa Romeo returned to the sport in 2019, it hasn’t finished higher than eighth in the constructors’ championship.

Due to Alfa Romeo’s lack of form in recent years, Bottas is hoping for solid progress in 2022 with consistent points finishes. 

“As a driver of course I drive to win races but also we need to be realistic,” he added. “From where we come from as a team, it’s been a challenging last couple of years for Alfa Romeo, but I’m here to help. I’m here work hard and do my part so that we’re going to do progress.

“I think in the first year with the team, if we can get more consistently in the points than previous years, I think that would already be an achievement.

“But of course, secretly I’m also aiming very high and I want to be up there. I’ll keep pushing and trying to guide the team and really push forward together, united. I think that’s going to give us, eventually, the results and that’s going to be so rewarding.

“For sure I need to reset my targets, most likely I’m not going to be fighting for race wins immediately, that’s pretty realistic to say, but eventually we will be.”