Mercedes "found a different kind of stability" at Monza
Valtteri Bottas says Mercedes “found a different kind of stability” with its W08 in Monza, which allowed the Silver Arrows to thoroughly dominate the Italian Grand Prix.
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
Having started fourth and seen off an early challenge from the Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen, Bottas fought through to finish four seconds behind race-winning teammate Lewis Hamilton, capping off a dominant Mercedes showing.
The pair's nearest rival, Ferrari's erstwhile points leader Sebastian Vettel, finished more than half a minute behind the Finn despite running the same strategy as the Mercedes cars.
On the podium, Hamilton said the W08 was "a dream to drive" in the race, while Bottas labelled the car's pace as "amazing" and added that driving it was "pure joy".
"The car was so well-balanced today and so strong," Bottas said post-race. "For sure we were quick in the straight lines, but this weekend we were also quick in every single corner of a track.
"We found a different kind of stability this weekend that we have not had before."
However, he added: "We can't rely on that again, it will be a completely different case in Singapore next weekend."
Hamilton, who for his part enjoyed a trouble-free run to victory from pole position, admitted he was surprised by the margin his outfit had over Ferrari – especially after the Italian team had run Mercedes close in practice in dry conditions.
"Not sure why the pace of the Ferraris was closer [before], especially in practice," he said.
"Today the car felt fantastic, particularly on the first stint - I guess because we had a bit of breathing space, it was easier to extend the life of the tyre.
"Valtteri did a fantastic job to get through and to get a 1-2 here. I know it is not easy for the Italian fans to accept but ultimately we did a better job this weekend as a team, but it is still close and a long way to go."
Like his teammate, Hamilton – who now leads the title race by three points over Vettel - conceded that Ferrari was likely to mount a much stronger challenge next time around, in the Singapore Grand Prix.
"We go to another track next where Ferrari should be quick with the extra downforce they can add on.
"But it is amazing to have the back-to-back wins, it is a long, long time that Seb has been leading the championship."
Additional reporting by Jonathan Noble
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