F1 News

Baku debris lowpoint of Mercedes' 2018

Baku debris lowpoint of Mercedes' 2018

16-12-2018 16:18
1

It was a tough year for Valtteri Bottas after the Finn failed to win a race and was so cruelly denied in Baku.

Bottas was leading with three laps remaining of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix only to pick up a right rear puncture that put him out of the race after driving over some metal, left from a collision between Kevin Magnussen and Pierre Gasly.

Bottas would have gone top of the world championship standings.

Mercedes Boss Toto Wolff was highly critical of the incident and was sympathetic to Bottas.

“Baku for me was a shock,” Wolff revealed to Autosport.

“Magnussen vs Gasly was crazy, and should have been severely penalised.

“Then the debris being on the track from this shit fight, at this shit place [position] at the back of the grid costing Valtteri this win is shameful.

"It is shameful, This is one of the worst moments for me this year."

Bottas failed to finish P1 in 2018 and Wolff felt the season was just bad luck after the Mercedes driver came close to wins in China and Bahrain.

“If he would have won those three races, he would have been easily in the lead of the championship after Baku.” The Austrian said.

"I think for a racing driver, not competing for the championship any more, if this is everything that you are in there for, it is very difficult.”