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: Vegas GP foiled by diffuser damage from Turn 1 hit

by Taylor Powling
2 years ago
A A
Bottas: Vegas GP foiled by diffuser damage from Turn 1 hit

Fernando Alonso (ESP) Aston Martin F1 Team AMR23 spins ahead of Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Alfa Romeo F1 Team C43 at the start of the race. 18.11.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 22, Las Vegas Grand Prix, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, Race Day

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Valtteri Bottas revealed how his Las Vegas Grand Prix was scuppered beyond the start after sustaining diffuser damage when he was hit from behind by Sergio Perez.

The Finn recorded his second Q3 appearance in three rounds in qualifying, but his hopes of adding to Alfa Romeo’s points tally were ended by contact at the first turn.

Fernando Alonso’s dive down the inside of Turn 1 saw him be pitched into a spin on the low-grip surface, prompting a concertina effect that left Bottas with nowhere to go. An unsighted Perez then arrived on the scene and thumped the back of the Alfa Romeo.

Although he continued back to the pits to replace his front wing, Bottas disclosed that his performance was hampered by the irreparable damage to the rear of his C45 car.

RelatedPosts

Esteban Ocon will start the F1 Azerbaijan GP from the pitlane after his qualifying disqualification

Esteban Ocon disqualified from F1 Azerbaijan GP qualifying

1 hour ago
Lando Norris could only managed seventh in qualifying for the F1 Azerbaijan GP

Why Lando Norris looks like ‘a loser’ after crucial McLaren qualifying ‘mistake’

3 hours ago

“The main thing was the hit from behind, it damaged my diffuser quite a lot,” he said. “I saw it after the race and there was some quite significant pieces missing, so that explains a lot.”

He added: “I think that, from behind, it was Perez.”

With Bottas nursing a wounded car and team-mate Zhou Guanyu struggling to make progress from the back, Alfa Romeo remains in ninth place in the Constructors’ standings.

Asked how frustrating it was to squander a promising starting berth through circumstances outside of his control, Bottas answered: “It is, of course. I think we had a good opportunity today, the car felt quite nice here, but for me, the race pace remains unknown, with the damage I had. But what can you do? That’s how, sometimes, it goes.”

Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Alfa Romeo F1 Team C43 and Fernando Alonso (ESP) Aston Martin F1 Team AMR23 at the start of the race. 18.11.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 22, Las Vegas Grand Prix, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, Race Day.

Along with Alonso, Carlos Sainz was another driver to be caught out by the slippery track at the opening corner, which resulted in the Ferrari sliding into Lewis Hamilton’s path.

The Spaniard later attributed the chaos at the start to several parade cars breaking down before the race and spilling oil onto the inside line of the start-finish straight.

“I don’t know, I started on the outside and, for me, I was, anyway, expecting low grip, and it was, extremely low grip, but it’s a good point, it could be something there,” Bottas said.

Bottas’ weekend had also been compromised by illness: “It was not great. I got this stomach bug a couple of days ago, and it kept getting worse until last night.

“Yesterday was the worst, today it was actually better, but it was not the most fun weekend for me, in the end, with what happened in the race.”

Despite being unable to battle other cars on an equal footing throughout the 50-lap encounter, Bottas believes the inaugural race at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit proved it warrants a place on the Formula 1 calendar.

“I always thought it was going to be a good track for racing, so I think today showed it,” he highlighted. “It would have been nice to be part of it, but I was more of a sitting duck myself. I think it deserves a place in the calendar.”

Pressed on if he thought there were any improvements needed for next year, Bottas replied: “I don’t think so. I think that, as it is, for.”

Tags: AlfaRomeoF1LasVegasGPValtteri Bottas
Share202Tweet126Share

Related Posts

Esteban Ocon will start the F1 Azerbaijan GP from the pitlane after his qualifying disqualification
Formula 1

Esteban Ocon disqualified from F1 Azerbaijan GP qualifying

1 hour ago
Lando Norris could only managed seventh in qualifying for the F1 Azerbaijan GP
Formula 1

Why Lando Norris looks like ‘a loser’ after crucial McLaren qualifying ‘mistake’

3 hours ago
Oscar Piastri needed a lift back to the pits after crashing out of qualifying
Formula 1

Oscar Piastri accepts responsibility for ‘disappointing’ F1 Azerbaijan GP qualifying crash

4 hours ago
Load More

Discussion about this post

Upcoming Races

#EventDate
17Azerbaijan GP19-21 September
18Singapore GP03-05 October
19United States GP17-19 October
20Mexico City GP24-26 October
21São Paulo GP07-09 November

Click here for the full 2025 F1 calendar

Drivers’  Standings

#DriverPts
Oscar Piastri324
Lando Norris293
Max Verstappen230
George Russell194
Charles Leclerc163
Lewis Hamilton117
Alexander Albon70
Andrea Kimi Antonelli66
Isack Hadjar38
Nico Hulkenberg37

Click here for full Drivers’ Standings

Latest Articles

Esteban Ocon will start the F1 Azerbaijan GP from the pitlane after his qualifying disqualification
Formula 1

Esteban Ocon disqualified from F1 Azerbaijan GP qualifying

September 20, 2025
Lando Norris could only managed seventh in qualifying for the F1 Azerbaijan GP
Formula 1

Why Lando Norris looks like ‘a loser’ after crucial McLaren qualifying ‘mistake’

September 20, 2025
Oscar Piastri needed a lift back to the pits after crashing out of qualifying
Formula 1

Oscar Piastri accepts responsibility for ‘disappointing’ F1 Azerbaijan GP qualifying crash

September 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