alexx_88 wrote: ↑06 Sep 2018, 09:07
I think Nico deserves that praise. He didn't settle with a comfortable #2 (like Bottas is doing right now) and pushed Lewis really hard while working with, what a lot of us agree to be, less natural ability. What he did, the hard work he put in and how he covered absolutely everything through ungodly amounts of preparation is a really nice story of success and how the underdog can fight his way through.
The problem became that their rivalry began to split the team. Bottas also did not have the childhood friendship/rivalry with Lewis that causes that driving force to compete so fiercely, so the team is in much more harmony as there is no history. Perhaps if these two stay together for the next few years, they'll build up enough of a relationship to create a more serious rivalry, so it doesn't make sense to say Bottas is settling for #2 when it's only his 2nd year working with Lewis in a new team.
I would also argue that he's not "settling" for #2. He hasn't managed to beat Lewis recently so now, with half the season over, he's naturally and mathematically in a #2 spot. And as many have said several times before, it's a team sport so at a certain point the team result becomes #1 priority. Especially now when Ferrari and Mercedes are closely matched. I much rather prefer team vs team than the eventually-self-destructive teammate vs teammate.
