The F1 record we’re unlikely to ever see again

Now that Valtteri Bottas is dropping off the Components 1 grid in 2025, the distinctive document he shares with Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen is unlikely to be prolonged.

That is the statistic for many podium appearances throughout any F1 driver triplet association, with Bottas, Hamilton and Verstappen having appeared collectively in 20 podium ceremonies.

This run occurred between the 2018 Spanish Grand Prix – when Bottas and Hamilton nonetheless fashioned Mercedes’ F1 line-up – and the 2021 Saudia Arabian race.

Of these 20 events, the commonest ending place for the trio – which occurred seven instances throughout the 2020 Hungarian and Spanish races, plus the Bahrain, Portugal, Spain, Brazil and Saudi occasions the next 12 months – was Hamilton-Verstappen-Bottas.

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The following highest association of their 20 rostrum visits was the six instances they completed Hamilton-Bottas-Verstappen, earlier than 3 times they got here residence within the order Verstappen-Hamilton-Bottas (2020’s seventieth Anniversary GP and 2021’s Styrian and Dutch races).

Bottas successful forward of Hamilton and Verstappen occurred twice (the 2019 Melbourne and Austin races), whereas they completed Bottas-Verstappen-Hamilton simply as soon as – on the 2020 Russian GP.

The possibilities of this specific trio taking to an F1 podium collectively for a twenty first time to increase the document they set at Portugal 2021 dropped dramatically when George Russell changed Bottas in Mercedes’ line-up and he headed for Sauber in 2022, which was additionally the 12 months the Silver Arrows squad fell again from being in title consideration.

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Crew, Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Crew KICK Sauber

Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Photos

Second in F1’s all-time podium triplets listing is the 14 instances Hamilton appeared alongside Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel between 2014 and 2016, with the line-up of Vettel, Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber third having appeared 13 instances from 2010-2013.

Joint fourth on 12 appearances are Michael Schumacher, Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard from 1997-2001, plus Hamilton, Bottas and Vettel between 2016 and 2019.

The Bottas-Hamilton-Verstappen document might theoretically be prolonged if Bottas is ready to return to full-time F1 motion after dropping his Sauber drive to 2024 Components 2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto.

The Finn has re-signed with Mercedes to be its reserve driver for 2025, as he has retained heat relations with crew boss Toto Wolff.

If Bottas had been to rejoin the F1 grid from a reserve position, he would mirror the profession extension achieved by former Haas racer Nico Hulkenberg – who can be becoming a member of Sauber subsequent 12 months.

Hulkenberg used his place as a Racing Level/Aston Martin reserve driver in 2020-2021 to ascertain a relationship with then Haas boss Guenther Steiner, which he efficiently remodeled right into a deal to return to racing full-time firstly of 2022.

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Bottas due to this fact would have the possibility to woo incoming Cadillac administration after they go to the F1 paddock forward of the crew’s 2026 entry, or certainly attempt to seal a grand prix racing return at one of many established groups.

In his 12 years racing full-time in F1 from 2013-2024, he raced for Williams, Mercedes and Sauber (together with the final two years of its Alfa Romeo branding guise), scored 10 wins and was runner-up to Hamilton within the drivers’ title twice – in 2019 and 2020.