Skip to main content

Recommended for you

Allan McNish reveals qualities that give Gabriel Bortoleto “a lot of potential”

Formula 1
Dutch GP
Allan McNish reveals qualities that give Gabriel Bortoleto “a lot of potential”

Rob Smedley reveals why he turned down F1 team principal roles

Formula 1
Dutch GP
Rob Smedley reveals why he turned down F1 team principal roles

What makes Honda's F1 project completely different from its Red Bull years

Formula 1
Dutch GP
What makes Honda's F1 project completely different from its Red Bull years

Otmar Szafnauer opens door to F1 comeback but hints at different role

Formula 1
Dutch GP
Otmar Szafnauer opens door to F1 comeback but hints at different role

Arvid Lindblad opens up on Liam Lawson relationship at Racing Bulls

Formula 1
Dutch GP
Arvid Lindblad opens up on Liam Lawson relationship at Racing Bulls

The biggest driver transfers in F1 history

Formula 1
The biggest driver transfers in F1 history

Aided by Mother Nature, Kyle Larson returns to Iowa to win Knoxville Nationals

Sprint Car
Aided by Mother Nature, Kyle Larson returns to Iowa to win Knoxville Nationals

How Mahindra missed out on London win but capped its best Formula E season yet

Formula E
London ePrix II
How Mahindra missed out on London win but capped its best Formula E season yet

Canada a "wake-up" call in F1 title fight - Bottas

Valtteri Bottas says he cannot afford many weekends like the Canadian Grand Prix after getting "a bit of a wake-up call" in the Formula 1 title battle.

Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes AMG F1

Bottas has fallen to 29 points adrift of teammate Lewis Hamilton, who took his fifth win from the first seven races of the season in controversial circumstances in Montreal.

Read Also:

While Hamilton inherited victory thanks to a penalty for Sebastian Vettel, Bottas finished fourth after only qualifying sixth – the first time a Mercedes driver finished off the podium this season.

While Bottas "didn't feel it was that difficult" performance-wise in Canada, he admitted he paid the price for making errors at key moments in qualifying, when he had a half-spin and then a scruffy lap.

"I still felt really good in Q1 and Q2, in Q2 I had a clear idea of how to improve and where to improve, and I was really confident," said Bottas.

"Then it really came down to a silly mistake that meant I lost quite a few points, which is obviously annoying. I can't really afford many of these type of weekends if I want to fight for the title. I have to move on.

"Maybe it was a bit of a wake-up call again. I'm sure I can always learn from that. For me, thoughts are already on the French Grand Prix."

Bottas salvaged an extra point by securing the bonus point for fastest lap, but with two wins to Hamilton's five has lost the momentum he had after the first four races of the season.

Hamilton has won the last three grands prix whereas Bottas has finished second, third and fourth – although he would have been second in Monaco but for a pitlane incident with Max Verstappen.

Asked if he was struggling to deal with the pressure of the title battle, Bottas said: "No, I have no pressure. I am very happy about the situation and how everything's been going since the beginning of the year.

"I'm enjoying it. I made one mistake [in qualifying]. Maybe at the end I was trying too much to recover that. That can happen.

"I wouldn't say anything from the last couple of races was anything to do with pressure. I don't think that [wilting under the pressure] is going to happen."

Previous article Vettel: F1 now "not the sport I fell in love with"
Next article "Hero" Grosjean confronted robbers in burglary attempt

Top Comments

Latest news