Bottas: Vettel overtake was a "matter of time"

Valtteri Bottas believes it was just a matter of time until Sebastian Vettel overtook him in the dying stages of the British Grand Prix. Mercedes had opted to leave both of their drivers out for track position whilst their rivals pitted for fresh soft tyres which ultimately won Vettel the race.

After the grand prix, Bottas reflected on what felt like a losing battle, telling the media that he felt there was an inevitability to the outcome of the titanic scrap between Mercedes and Ferrari at the end.

“I think it was just a matter of time. Obviously it was disappointing at that point but then seeing lap after lap what happened what happened to me and how the grip was, nothing I could do.”

When asked if he felt his team should have brought him into the pits, the Finn admitted afterwards it is easier to decide but at the time he was supportive of the decision.

“I think without the Safety Car of course it’s only guessing,” he explained. “But at that point just before when it came it felt like our pace was quite strong compared to Ferrari. I was closing on Sebastian and we had an advantage at the end of the first stint. The second stint was going to be very long.

“We took the risk to stay out, to try and win the race, because on-track it’s always more difficult (to overtake) with a similar car. Honestly at that point when we stayed out if the team would have asked me if I wanted to try and go for the win or settle for second place, for sure I would go for the win.

“But now looking back for sure for the result it would have been better to stop. It’s a fact.”

Bottas eventually went on to finish fourth after his teammate Lewis Hamilton and the sister Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen was able to overtake him as his tyres dropped off in performance, a disappointing way to finish the tripleheader having been set for a championship revival with the points he could have earned.