Not for the first time, Valtteri Bottas is playing it cool. Frankly, when has Valtteri Bottas not played it cool? A new and improved figure of exuberance away from the racetrack – more on that later – the 35-year-old racer is on the verge of his final furlong this weekend. And while he is not bowing out strictly on his own terms, he has the aura of a person departing the sport he cherishes – the only pastime he’s ever known – without any sense of bitterness or resentment.
In the “piranha club” whirlpool of the Formula One paddock, that in itself is admirable. Yet he opts not to delve too deeply into the psychoanalysis of himself. Instead, his new life outlook is refreshingly simple.
