Valtteri Bottas admits he might need regarded “like a idiot” on the Sakhir Grand Prix to anybody who didn’t perceive the context of his and George Russell’s race.
Bottas narrowly beat stand-in teammate George Russell to pole place however was overwhelmed into Flip 1 and performed second-fiddle for many of the race. Mercedes junior Russell raced instead of world champion Lewis Hamilton, who examined constructive for COVID-19 forward of the occasion.
Russell would possible have gained the race had been it not for a Mercedes pit-stop gaffe and a puncture late within the race, whereas Bottas struggled to make a struggle of it.
When requested if the end result was harder to abdomen as he was being out-performed by a stand-in relatively than Hamilton, Bottas replied: “Effectively, no.
“Clearly within the race I simply attempt to take advantage of out of it. I knew that it may be a protracted race forward so I do not take into consideration these type of issues.
“However now serious about it, if you do not know issues I might need regarded like a whole c— and a idiot, you realize? In order that’s not good.
“It was a reasonably unhealthy race for me from that aspect. It is going to be very simple or folks to say {that a} new man is available in and beats the man who’s been within the workforce for a number of years. So it was not best.
“However the individuals who know, they know the way the efficiency and the way the top end result may have been.
“So, I do not know what to say actually. Not best as a weekend.”
Bottas insisted the race was not over when the Security Automobile got here out and triggered Mercedes’ choice to double-stack its drivers, which led to them becoming the unsuitable tyres to Russell’s automobile, which in flip pressured them to go away Bottas out on a used set of tyres.
Regardless of being eight seconds again when the Security Automobile got here out, Bottas was assured he may have made a struggle of it out in entrance.
“The race was not completed once we had the factor with the pit stops, which clearly modified all the things. I managed to go a bit longer on the medium tyre. That may have positively opened up alternatives for me on the laborious tyre. My tempo on the laborious tyre was good and I used to be catching him.
“Simply within the first stint, with a little bit of stability points and being in soiled air, I could not get nearer. That is it.”
