© LAT Images for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd
Valtteri Bottas gives his comments on his tough Mexican Grand Prix that included an overtake by Max Verstappen, a spin, a pit stop mistake, and more.
Valtteri Bottas qualified on pole for the Mexican Grand Prix, but things quickly went downhill from there.
First he positioned himself on race start in such a way that allowed Max Verstappen to use a tow and shoot past both him and Lewis Hamilton to take P1.
After that he was tagged by Daniel Ricciardo which caused him to spin. After they both pitted, he ended up being unable to overtake the Australian driver for most of the race.
Bottas later also suffered a botched pit stop, but at that point it was inconsequential.
“Very, very tricky,” Bottas said after the race.
“For me obviously quite compromised with the first corner incident, and then I was stuck behind cars that I couldn’t pass.
“It was really tricky and also I was quite limited with the engine and brake temperatures, so I couldn’t attack many laps in a row. So I had to go back and forwards and couldn’t find a way to progress.”
The Finn was then asked why he was unable to find a way past Ricciardo.
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“It was tricky. They have the same power unit, they have good straightline speed. He was defending well and I just couldn’t find a way.”
Bottas ultimately did manage to help the team in one way, he drove the fastest lap of the race, taking the point from Max Verstappen. However, he couldn’t keep the point for himself, since he finished in P15.
“At least one point, that’s something. Obviously a lot less than what I aimed [for] today.
“Not my lucky day,” concluded Bottas.
After the race Ricciardo apologized to Bottas for tagging him.
“I apologise to him without really seeing [the replay yet], but I was the one who went into him so I will say sorry for now and see if there was much I could have done or if it was simply a turn one incident and a bottleneck kind of thing,” the Australian said.
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, however, thinks Ricciardo should have been investigated by the stewards.
“The stewards should have a look into it,” the Austrian said.
“In hindsight, it was surprising that they didn’t look at the penalty.”
