Valtteri Bottas has praised the stronger mental health support in Formula 1, saying it encouraged him to share his personal struggles. The Finnish driver, who now races for Cadillac, spoke on Thursday after publishing an essay titled 'Born Crazy' in The Players' Tribune.
In the essay, Bottas revealed that during his time at Mercedes he was pushed to the brink of depression when he was forced to act as 'wingman' for Lewis Hamilton. He also disclosed a two-year battle with an eating disorder in 2014 that left him feeling 'completely consumed'.
'The sport has changed a lot, the world has changed a lot,' Bottas said. 'There's better ways for people to communicate and share their issues. It's definitely a more welcoming environment for everyone in F1.'
Bottas described how he despised racing after being relegated to support Hamilton, saying he almost walked away from the sport. He credited a walk in the snow during the 2018 winter break with changing his mindset and preventing his retirement.
He also detailed his eating disorder, which led to waking at 4 a.m. in starvation mode. Bottas said he sought help from a psychologist after telling his then-wife he did not care if he died. 'It took me almost two years to feel like myself again,' he added.
