Bottas' title chances are dwindling: “I have no answer in 2nd”

(Motorsport-Total.com) – “Right now I just want to be somewhere else than here,” says Valtteri Bottas after the Spanish Grand Prix. Because the Barcelona race was once again a big step backwards for the Finn’s hopes for the World Cup. The season started so well for the Mercedes driver – once again.

As in the previous year, Valtteri Bottas took victory in the first race of the season and thus the best possible Birth. But the expectations of a world championship fight against Lewis Hamilton he could not meet again in any way. Instead of 13 points lead after race one, there are now proud 43 Points behind the team-mates.

“The championship is slipping out of my fingers again”, Bottas quarrels after the fifth winless Large Prix in a row. And what’s more: he hasn’t even made it into High 2 for four races – actually too little for the dominant Mercedes car. “Apart from the first race, it was pretty bad,” he has to admit.

Not only did his team-mate win four of the five races after the start of the season, Bottas also kept falling behind Max Verstappen and is now also behind the Pink Bull pilot. The tire damage weighs particularly bitterly in the final phase of Silverstone. While Hamilton was still able to win despite his own damage, Bottas remained there without points.

“In the 2nd I have no answer”

“There hasn’t been a weekend that went really smoothly – apart from the first one. So it’s been a pretty bad season so far. That is of course disappointing, “he says. But he doesn’t know why it’s not going either: “I can’t say it. Honestly.”

“The plug is actually there in every race. Qualifying was always an expansive battle with Lewis. Sometimes he hits me, sometimes I hit him. So I don’t know the reasons, “continued Bottas. “Maybe I can say it sometime later. But in the 2nd I have no answer.”

At least Bottas now has a little break after the second triple header to refocus. His hope is that there will be as many races as possible. Seven more races have already been decided, but there may be ten or more.

Despite mental setbacks: Will not give up

“I know that we haven’t even reached halfway through the season. That helps,” says Bottas about the mental challenge. “For me it would have been psychologically important to get more points than Lewis and Max, and if that doesn’t happen, then it’s difficult.”

Because the unusual season is already sapping the nerves Driver. You would like to spend more time with the important people in your life, but the field around Corona makes that almost impossible.

“But you accept that because the only goal is to win the title I will do everything for that, “said Bottas, who even separated from Ms. Emilia last year in order to be able to concentrate on his career. “But when things don’t go the way you imagine, then it becomes more difficult.”

He is “frustrated”, he admits. But he doesn’t want to give up. “Without a doubt I will find the right spirit again for the next race and try again.”