Valtteri Bottas: “A fair play battle with Lewis at the start”

Twelve months ago, Valtteri Bottas lost any chance of winning the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, when three laps from the goal, a puncture forced him to retire in the streets of Baku. Almost like the starting point of a somewhat gloomy season for the Finn.

In 2019, it was a reinvigorated Bottas who made a superb start to the season, and who came to find his revenge on the shores of the Caspian Sea this Sunday by winning the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, his second victory of the season.

A success which allows him to regain control of the championship, one point ahead Lewis Hamilton, who almost found the opening from the start. “Honestly, I could have done a better job starting today, Bottas believes.

I think I was a little too careful. I didn't want to spin so I was flexible enough to get the power through, without ruining everything. But Lewis got off to a good start, that's why he was on the inside.

We were really side by side in turn 1, so I kept the speed on the outside, like in turn 2, leaving enough space. It was nice and fair play and I was obviously delighted to keep first place. »

A first position which will be converted into victory, despite the pressure from Hamilton, on a track where the aspiration in the long straight can prove to be a formidable weapon.

“I didn’t want him to enter the DRS zone, recalls Bottas. Lewis had a very good sector 2 in some laps and managed to come back. Here, even if you are 1″2, 1″3 behind at turn 16, you gain time before the DRS is detected. »

Championship leader, Bottas will approach his return to Western Europe with a definite boost of confidence. “It’s a good start for me this season, but the championship is long. I realize it. But what I am really proud of is the level of performance of the team. It's incredible to me. »

Discover the full report and analysis of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, produced by our special correspondents in Baku, in issue 2214 of AUTOhebdo, available from tomorrow evening in digital version and from this Wednesday on newsstands.