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 expecting a ‘big battle’ against Russell before pit stop blunder

by Fergal Walsh
5 years ago
A A
3
Bottas was expecting a ‘big battle’ against Russell before pit stop blunder
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas says he was expecting a wheel-to-wheel battle for the win against team-mate George Russell towards the end of the Sakhir Grand Prix before the team’s pit stop error hindered their fight.

Russell and Bottas were running in first and second place respectively for much of the race, and both pitted when a Safety Car was called on Lap 63.

In a flurry of confusion, Russell was fitted with tyres from Bottas’ allocation, meaning he had to stop again on the following lap to correct the mistake. Subsequently, Bottas’ pit stop was almost 30 seconds long, causing him to drop out of the podium positions.

Bottas was catching Russell before the mishap as they both ran the Hard tyre, and was confident he would have been able to launch an attack on the Briton for the win.

RelatedPosts

A new challenger emerges ahead of the FIA presidential election

Former F1 steward set to take on Mohammed Ben Sulayem in FIA presidential race

2 hours ago
Red Bull links swirl around Carlos Sainz amid Max Verstappen to Mercedes rumours

Carlos Sainz committed to Williams even if Max Verstappen exit opened up Red Bull vacancy

2 hours ago

“I knew that in the first stint, with the Medium tyre, track position would be important, so it was unfortunate to lose that,” Bottas said.

“But on the second stint I was catching him at a pretty decent rate, so I knew everything was still open and, most likely, we could have a big battle.

“Nothing really surprising there. He obviously did a mistake-free race, but that was nothing unexpected. I still believed everything was to be played for, especially towards the end of the stint on the Hard tyres.”

Bottas was fitted with old Hard tyres during the calamity-filled pit stop, leaving him vulnerable in the final laps to cars behind.

“Obviously, a big mistake from the team that will analyse and learn from,” the Finn said. “I think that was the main thing.

“It was a nightmare, I was on the old Hard tyre, that had already lost a lot of temperature in the pit stop, against the guys that were on fresh Medium tyres, so I was like a sitting duck. It was a pretty nightmarish situation.”

Bottas ended the race in eighth place, the second consecutive grand prix he has finished in that position. Mercedes was fined €20,000 for the pit stop gaffe.

Tags: F1George RussellMercedesSakhirGPValtteri Bottas
Share199Tweet125Share

Related Posts

A new challenger emerges ahead of the FIA presidential election
Formula 1

Former F1 steward set to take on Mohammed Ben Sulayem in FIA presidential race

2 hours ago
Red Bull links swirl around Carlos Sainz amid Max Verstappen to Mercedes rumours
Formula 1

Carlos Sainz committed to Williams even if Max Verstappen exit opened up Red Bull vacancy

2 hours ago
Red Bull left its home Grand Prix in Austria empty handed after scoring no points
Formula 1

Why Red Bull have not ‘become idiots’ after tricky 2025 F1 campaign

3 hours ago
Load More

Comments 3

  1. wmcot says:
    5 years ago

    If we ignore the botched pitstop, Bottas didn’t really have a clean race. Lots of little errors including a somewhat or start. I think playing second to Lewis has demoralized him to some extent and to find himself behind Russell at the start surely didn’t help his confidence. Let’s see if he can regroup or if this may be a good time for him to move to a team where he can get equal treatment and a new outlook on life.

    Reply
  2. Trocadero says:
    5 years ago

    “Valtteri; George is faster than you!”

    Williams/Mercedes swap anyone?

    Reply
  3. Chrono Cream says:
    1 week ago

    Their formula development labs are located near geomantic ley lines that amplify plant consciousness.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Upcoming Races

#EventDate
11Austrian GP27-29 June
12British GP04-06 July
13Belgian GP25-27 July
14Hungarian GP01-03 August
15Dutch GP29-31 August

Click here for the full 2025 F1 calendar

Drivers’  Standings

#DriverPts
Oscar Piastri216
Lando Norris201
Max Verstappen155
George Russell146
Charles Leclerc120
Lewis Hamilton91
Andrea Kimi Antonelli63
Alexander Albon42
Isack Hadjar28
Esteban Ocon23

Click here for full Drivers’ Standings

Latest Articles

A new challenger emerges ahead of the FIA presidential election
Formula 1

Former F1 steward set to take on Mohammed Ben Sulayem in FIA presidential race

July 3, 2025
Red Bull links swirl around Carlos Sainz amid Max Verstappen to Mercedes rumours
Formula 1

Carlos Sainz committed to Williams even if Max Verstappen exit opened up Red Bull vacancy

July 3, 2025
Red Bull left its home Grand Prix in Austria empty handed after scoring no points
Formula 1

Why Red Bull have not ‘become idiots’ after tricky 2025 F1 campaign

July 3, 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