Motorsport Week
  • Formula 1
    • 2025 Formula 1 Calendar
    • 2025 Formula 1 Standings
  • Formula E
    • 2025 Formula E Calendar
    • 2025 Formula E Standings
  • IndyCar
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WRC
    • 2025 WRC Standings
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
  • MotoGP
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
  • WEC
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • IMSA
    • 2025 IMSA Calendar
  • World SBK
  • More
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
    • Technical Insight
    • Galleries
    • About/Contact
    • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
  • Formula 1
    • 2025 Formula 1 Calendar
    • 2025 Formula 1 Standings
  • Formula E
    • 2025 Formula E Calendar
    • 2025 Formula E Standings
  • IndyCar
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WRC
    • 2025 WRC Standings
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
  • MotoGP
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
  • WEC
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • IMSA
    • 2025 IMSA Calendar
  • World SBK
  • More
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
    • Technical Insight
    • Galleries
    • About/Contact
    • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
Motorsport Week
Home Single Seater Formula 1

Bottas was convinced he had first-lap puncture

by Phillip Horton
5 years ago
A A
Bottas was convinced he had first-lap puncture

Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Mercedes AMG F1 W11. Italian Grand Prix, Sunday 6th September 2020. Monza Italy.

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Valtteri Bottas says he felt he had sustained a tyre puncture on the opening lap of Formula 1’s Italian Grand Prix, as he tumbled down the order.

Bottas started from the front row of the grid but was overhauled by McLaren’s Carlos Sainz on the run to the first chicane, slipping down to third.

He was then out-muscled by Lando Norris into the second chicane and lost further spots to Sergio Perez and Daniel Ricciardo through the remainder of the lap.

“On my side I had two contacts: I had one in Turn 2 and then a slightly bigger one in Turn 5, but still not like a massive contact,” he said.

RelatedPosts

Max Verstappen is now a recognised title challenger in 2025

Red Bull is ‘watching history in the making’ with Max Verstappen

4 hours ago
Red Bull breached grid procedure in the US GP, and was fined for the incident

Why Red Bull were slapped with a fine after the F1 US GP

6 hours ago

“In Turn 6 I was on the outside and had quite a bit of understeer, then in Turn 7 I had quite a bit of understeer that it felt like a puncture.

“Then, out of Turn 7, the car was pulling a little bit to the right and to the left, so it didn’t feel right, so I was convinced I had a puncture coming into Turn 8.

“That’s why I wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to go straight in Turn 8, so I braked early, but then it actually kind of recovered and it was fine.

“So, I’m not sure if it was something on the tyre, if something was wrong with the car because of the contact. I haven’t heard anything yet about the corner weights but it felt really odd, so a very, very messy first lap.”

Bottas made little in-roads thereafter and while he made some gains after the red flag he recovered only to fifth, taking just three points out of Lewis Hamilton’s title lead.

“I didn’t have a great feeling all through the race,” said Bottas.

“I struggled to match any cars in those corners, with understeering and, also, at the same time, sliding.

“I don’t have an answer – I just couldn’t follow the cars ahead in those corners. Obviously, it’s pretty much only right-hand corners on this track, so if the car doesn’t turn right, it’s not ideal.

“It was pretty weird, because we knew we had a good car and we were pretty hopeful, especially after the red flag, but there was no way to move forward for me, I just couldn’t get any closer than 0.7s, maximum, to the car ahead.”

Tags: F1ItalianGPMonzaValtteri Bottas
Share202Tweet126Share

Related Posts

Max Verstappen is now a recognised title challenger in 2025
Formula 1

Red Bull is ‘watching history in the making’ with Max Verstappen

4 hours ago
Red Bull breached grid procedure in the US GP, and was fined for the incident
Formula 1

Why Red Bull were slapped with a fine after the F1 US GP

6 hours ago
McLaren won't prioritise one driver to beat Max Verstappen to the F1 championship
Formula 1

The scenario where McLaren will prioritise a driver in F1 title race

6 hours ago
Load More

Discussion about this post

Upcoming Races

#EventDate
18Singapore GP03-05 October
19United States GP17-19 October
20Mexico City GP24-26 October
21São Paulo GP07-09 November
22Las Vegas GP20-22 November

Click here for the full 2025 F1 calendar

Drivers’  Standings

#DriverPts
Oscar Piastri324
Lando Norris299
Max Verstappen255
George Russell212
Charles Leclerc165
Lewis Hamilton121
Andrea Kimi Antonelli78
Alexander Albon70
Isack Hadjar39
Nico Hulkenberg37

Click here for full Drivers’ Standings

Latest Articles

Max Verstappen is now a recognised title challenger in 2025
Formula 1

Red Bull is ‘watching history in the making’ with Max Verstappen

October 20, 2025
Red Bull breached grid procedure in the US GP, and was fined for the incident
Formula 1

Why Red Bull were slapped with a fine after the F1 US GP

October 20, 2025
McLaren won't prioritise one driver to beat Max Verstappen to the F1 championship
Formula 1

The scenario where McLaren will prioritise a driver in F1 title race

October 20, 2025

Follow Motorsport Week

Join our daily motorsport newsletter

* indicates required

Motorsport Week

© 2024 Motorsport Media Services Ltd

Other Links

  • About & Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Motorsport Monday

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Formula 1
    • Latest News
    • 2025 F1 Calendar
    • 2025 F1 Championship Standings
  • Formula E
    • Latest News
    • 2025 FE Calendar
    • 2025 FE Championship Standings
  • MotoGP
    • Latest News
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
  • WRC
    • Latest News
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
    • 2025 WRC Standings
  • IndyCar
    • Latest News
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WEC
    • Latest News
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • Live Updates
  • Other
    • IMSA
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
  • Galleries
  • About/Contact
  • Privacy Policy

© 2024 Motorsport Media Services Ltd