Bottas surprised at his own performance: 'I thought I was doing well'

Valtteri Bottas is keen to get back into contention for the front places in Turkey after the engine penalty at the Russian Grand Prix. The Finn expects Mercedes to do well, although he is keeping a close eye on Red Bull Racing.

Bottas qualified seventh at the Russian GP, after which the German racing team decided to make an engine change. As a result, the driver found himself between Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc at the back of the grid.

"It was a tough race for us. The transition was harder than we expected. I thought I was doing well, but then I was behind Gasly. So although I tried, I couldn't do much," Bottas told Motorsport.com. "We haven't been bad in the rain recently. So we've learned a lot about the tyres, especially in terms of temperatures and stresses. That's why I hope we have more grip in Istanbul Park than last year."

Meanwhile, he is keeping a close eye on the battle between his teammate Hamilton and Verstappen. As expected, he has a clear preference. "Theoretically, I still have a chance. But if I can't be champion, let it be Lewis."