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		</div><p>Valtteri Bottas believes Lewis Hamilton deserved to be crowned Formula One world champion and was “gutted” his Mercedes team-mate was pipped to the title by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.</p>
<p>Hamilton was denied a record eighth drivers’ crown – and fifth in a row – after being overtaken by Verstappen in a nerve-shredding final lap at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, as the Dutchman claimed his maiden title.</p>
<p>While Verstappen revealed he was sent a congratulatory text by Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, saying he “deserved to win it”, Bottas, who will race for Alfa Romeo next year, feels differently.</p>
<p>“It hurts that Lewis didn’t get the drivers’, I feel like I lost the championship because he lost it,” Bottas said in quotes on the official F1 website. “I really feel gutted for him because I feel like he deserved it.”</p>
<p>Mercedes, who had the consolation of winning the constructors’ championship for an eighth successive season, twice failed with appeals following a highly controversial end to the 2021 campaign in the United Arab Emirates.</p>
<p>The deployment of the safety car after a late crash wiped out the chunky lead Hamilton had built over the course of the race and Verstappen had the advantage for a last-lap shoot-out as the pair were on different tyres.</p>
<p>Bottas added: “Lewis had a great race and then things change like this. But you know, that’s just sport, that’s just how it is. Sometimes it goes against, sometimes it goes for you.”</p>
<p>Bottas, who succeeded Nico Rosberg at Mercedes ahead of the 2017 season, finished runner-up in the drivers’ standings to team-mate Hamilton in 2019 and 2020 and is now relishing a fresh adventure.</p>
<p>He added: “Now it’s time for something new. I’m really, really proud and thankful what we’ve achieved together. We’ve done great things.</p>
<p>“It wasn’t maybe the best race to finish it, but you need to look at the big picture. We’ve won five constructors’. With Lewis we’ve been the most successful team-mate pairing in the history of Formula 1, so it’s kind of sad to leave – but of course I look forward to the future.”</p>
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