BEYOND THE GRID: Valtteri Bottas on his burning desire to win again, the story behind the mullet – and how he rates Hamilton

Cooler, calmer and now rocking a new hairstyle, Valtteri Bottas seems a completely different man to the one that left Mercedes at the end of 2021 – and this week he joins Beyond The Grid host Tom Clarkson to talk all things F1.

The 10-time Grand Prix winner still has a burning desire to reach the top step of the podium again, but as he explains to Tom, his approach to Formula 1 has changed a lot since joining Alfa Romeo.

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He says he’s less sensitive to criticism, doesn’t care what others think of him and is enjoying everything that makes him happy outside of the sport, including ventures like his new foray into the world of gin making.

Bottas has also become famous for the mullet hairstyle he's been rocking this year, and he reveals the inspiration behind the cut to Tom in this week's podcast, which is presented by Salesforce.

On track, the Finn has had to adjust to battling in the midfield with Alfa, after five years of racing at the very sharp end of the grid with Mercedes, and he explains how he's adjusted to the change in racing for a team with different ambitions.

The switch from fighting for wins to battling for points might faze some drivers, but Bottas insists he's as motivated as ever and has no plans to leave F1 any time soon.

Plus, he explains why he thinks former Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton is still the fastest driver on the grid.

To hear Bottas' Beyond The Grid interview, hit go in the player above, or head here to catch it on your preferred platform.

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