VALTTERI BOTTAS

If there are differences in the race pace it is normally because the tyre is overheating on my side.

For sure, some things have changed with the way I feel about things, like my mindset and everything. But you always learn every year about your mindset and what works for you.

I think with racing, you never stop improving. If you want to improve, you will.

I think Finns in general, we are quite calm and I think we're mentally in general quite strong, and we don't mind to be alone. We are lonely wolves, a lot of us.

Improving, for me, is quite natural as I'm always critical of myself.

Let me tell you something, never, ever give up your dream.

My approach to the race is definitely just trying to win the race.

You dream about winning since a kid and when you get that first win it took some time to realise it. But once I realised it, it was so cool.

When I was 12 there was a big shift in mindset and I realised that if I want to get something out of it then I need to work hard and focus all my energy just for this sport and that's when I started training and taking things more seriously. I became a lot more self-critical and analysed the driving more and more, and that was when I was 12.

Finns love if their athletes do well, then they support.

You never know. One point can make a difference in the end.

I have plenty of good people around me I can talk to and for me it's the man in the mirror that gives the answers if I have hard times or if I doubt.

I can be nice - I don't need to be rude for no reason.

All the questions, all the speculation, No. 2 driver and so on, it doesn't get to me. It doesn't matter.

In general, I like healthy foods. Everything that's natural and clean.

It's always good to have different plans.

We need to make sure F1 stays the quickest category of all, and GP2 is not that far away, so that's a little bit worrying.

In this sport if you want to win you need to be selfish, it is that kind of sport, even though it is a team sport you need to think about yourself.

Every time I jump in the car I feel very happy. Racing is what I love to do and I am very lucky I can do it.

Of course, when you start in pole, winning is the only target you have.

We Finns don't show much emotion but it doesn't mean we don't have any.

I've learned that the first half of the season is always very important.

I know when I am in the car I am always doing my best.

For me, it's just me trying to be the best me I can be inside and outside of the car.

In Formula 1, the neck is really important. There's a lot of force that's going to your head. We also have a helmet and it's not that light. When it's all about g-force, all of that extra weight in the helmet compounds and puts more and more pressure.