Bottas at fault: “Maybe I should have stayed calmer”

Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) placed himself in the column of drivers whose 2019 German Grand Prix was missed, even though it presented itself under very good auspices. The 29-year-old Finn seemed poised to regain points useful in his distant fight with Lewis Hamilton for the Drivers' championship, until the start of the 57th lap:

Forced to retire even though he could certainly aim for second position, the wearer of number 77 did not loosen his teeth in the Hockenheim paddock. “I made a mistake, the team asked me to attack, and I pushed as much as I could. I wanted to get this podium, he justifies himself.

I pushed a little too hard in this corner, and I lost the rear. It's my fault, and maybe I should have stayed calmer and taken my time more », he judges calmly. A few minutes earlier, his English teammate had gone into an artistic spin, without hitting the protections. 

“If I hadn't tried my luck, I wouldn't have been able to aim for the podium,” continues Valtteri Bottas. But at least I could have included a few points that would have been important. In these circumstances, the slightest fault is easily within reach. It happened at the wrong time, in the wrong place, that's all. »

Find it in AUTO issue 2227hebdo analysis of the F1 in Germany by our special correspondents, available Monday evening digitally and Wednesday on newsstands.