Bottas: Eifel GP win was still possible after Turn 1 mistake
Valtteri Bottas felt he could still have won the Eifel Grand Prix despite the error that gave Lewis Hamilton the lead before an unexplained power unit issue made him retire.

Pole-sitter Bottas managed to boldly defend the lead from Hamilton on the opening lap and open a small gap of over a second through the opening stages of the race.
But a lock-up at Turn 1 on lap 13 caused Bottas to run wide, handing Hamilton the lead and forcing the Finn to come into the pits after flat-spotting his tyres.
A Virtual Safety Car period then left Bottas far behind Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in third place, before a suspected MGU-H issue brought his difficult afternoon to an early end.
Despite the mistake, Bottas felt he still had a good chance of winning the race as it forced him to switch to a two-stop strategy, which he felt ultimately proved to be the best approach for the race.
“I had all the chance for the win, because that made me commit to a two-stop quite early, and I think a two-stop at the end was the best strategy,” Bottas said.
“I knew there was all to play for, even after that lock-up in the drizzle. Then the engine thing, I couldn’t believe it.”
Bottas explained after the race that he thought the lock-up was due to the light rain that had arrived at the Nurburgring just before his error.
“The lock-up, I think it was mainly the drizzle,” Bottas said.
“I really had less grip under braking and it was a really sudden lock-up. And of course being the first car out there who is approaching that corner, I’m sure Lewis saw pretty quickly that I locked up, so I’m sure he had a chance to react.
“It was a mistake, but also in tricky conditions. When I stopped, and when I felt the tyres were starting to work, and when I got past Ricciardo, I thought it can still be really good, and at least I knew I was committed to two-stop.
“The VSC, maybe it was a bit unlucky for me, because the others had a free stop. In any case, there would still have been opportunities.”
Read Also:
Mercedes is yet to have fully diagnosed what caused the issue on Bottas’ power unit, but team boss Toto Wolff said it appeared to be related to the MGU-H.
“It looks like it was around the MGU-H but we haven't found the root cause yet,” Wolff said.
“We retired the car, not only because he wouldn't have scored points, but also because we didn't want to damage the power unit.
“I think we should be fine [to use it again]. It's important now to understand what happened.
“We introduced new power units this weekend and there are still six races to go, so we need to get on top of the problem.”
Related video

Previous article
Red Bull says Hulkenberg an option for 2021 F1 seat
Next article
What's changed in F1 since Alonso made his debut

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Event | Eifel GP |
Drivers | Valtteri Bottas |
Teams | Mercedes |
Author | Luke Smith |
Bottas: Eifel GP win was still possible after Turn 1 mistake
The defining traits that set F1’s best apart
What makes the very best drivers in Formula 1 stand out among what is already a highly elite bunch? Andrew Benson takes a closer look at those with the special blend of skill, judgment, feel and attitude that sets only a select few apart from the rest.
The updates Williams hopes will lead to a point-scoring return
After producing a car which demonstrated progress but lacked the points to prove it last year, Williams starts its new era of team ownership with the FW43B, its bid to continue the climb up the Formula 1 grid in 2021
How Ferrari plans to recover from its 2020 F1 nightmare
The 2020 Formula 1 season was Ferrari's worst for 40 years as it slumped to sixth in the standings. A repeat performance will not be acceptable for the proud Italian team, which has adopted a notably pragmatic approach to forging its path back to the top
Why Aston Martin’s arrival is more than just new green livery
In the most eagerly anticipated Formula 1 team launch of the season, the rebranded Aston Martin squad’s changes go much further than the striking paint job. But rather than a restart, the team hopes to build on top of solid foundations.
The car Aston Martin begins its new F1 journey with
The team formerly known as Racing Point gambled successfully on a Mercedes look-alike in 2020 as it mounted a strong challenge for third in the constructors' race and won the Sakhir GP. Now clothed in British racing green, Aston Martin's first Formula 1 challenger since 1960 provides the clearest indicator yet of what to expect from the new-for-2021 regulations
The tricky driver conundrums facing Mercedes in F1 2021
Ahead of the new Formula 1 season, reigning world champions Mercedes will take on challenges both old and new. This also can be said for its driver conundrum which could become key to sustaining its ongoing success...
How Alpine's cure to 2021 F1 rules starts at the front
A new name, new faces and new colours pulls the rebranded Alpine Formula 1 team into a new era while carrying over core elements of its 2020 car. But under the surface there's more than meets the eye with the A521 which hints at how the team will tackle 2021...
Can Mercedes' W12 retain the team's crown?
Replacing Formula 1's fastest car was never going to be an easy feat for Mercedes. Amid the technical rule tweaks to peg back the W12 and its 2021 rivals, the new Mercedes challenger will remain the target to beat