Bottas now awaits a miracle in Abu Dhabi

By effectively taking over from Lewis Hamilton, injured in Q1 on Saturday, Valtteri Bottas had taken pole position at the Ferrari de Sebastian Vettel and allowed to Mercedes to approach the race with good hope of success.

But a less successful start than Sebastian Vettel ruined the Finn's ambitions, unable to prevent the No. 5 Ferrari from taking the advantage. « At the start we lost the race, which is unfortunate for me.

The problem was just initial slippage. As soon as I started to release the clutch I just lacked traction and there was slippage and that's why I had a bad start. I tried to cover the interior but honestly looking at the rearview mirror I could only see Kimi behind.

I didn't see Seb, and I guessed he could try the inside and that's what he did. IThere was nothing to do, he had a better start, he was inside. »

If Bottas maintained the gap at the start of the race, the Finn had an opportunity to directly threaten the leading Ferrari after the pit stops, without succeeding in materializing. “Pace-wise, it was very, very close.

NWe tried to put a lot of pressure on Seb and try to follow him, especially around the pit stop. When I got closer, we decided to stop, trying the undercut, but it wasn't enough. I was pretty close after coming out of the pits but not close enough to try to pass him. »

Relegated to 22 points behind the Ferrari before the final in Abu Dhabi, Bottas knows that the prospect of second place in the championship seems to have vanished in Brazil.

“I'm disappointed after a good day yesterday, and obviously it's not good for me for the battle for second place in the championship. He has a good lead now and we need some miracles in Abu Dhabi. »

Discover the full report and analysis of the Brazilian Grand Prix, produced by our special correspondents in Interlagos, in issue 2140 of AUTOhebdo, available tomorrow evening in digital version, and from this Wednesday on newsstands.