F1 News
Bottas glad to "gain a few points" on Hamilton despite struggles in Austria
- Nicolás Quarles van Ufford
Despite having a difficult race managing his car during the Austrian Grand Prix, Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas has taken refuge in the fact he's gained a few points in the championship on teammate and rival Lewis Hamilton.
Bottas started the race in third place and immediately went into second as the race got underway, with second-placed Max Verstappen being very slow off the line. The Finn quickly lost ground on race leader Charles Leclerc but held his ground in P2, with Hamilton following behind.
Both Mercedes drivers struggled to keep the W10's engine from overheating, and in the second stint, both drivers were sitting ducks, with Verstappen completing an overcut on Hamilton and picking off Bottas later in the race. Bottas barely hung onto third place with Sebastian Vettel breathing down the 29-year-old's neck, while Hamilton finished back in fifth.
"A positive today for me this weekend," Bottas told Motorsport.com about outscoring the championship leader.
"Being on the podium and getting to drink free champagne, that's always nice! It's a fact. And getting a few points against Lewis in the end.
"I'm second in the championship, and my target is to close in the points to Lewis, and that target was achieved this weekend, although it would be nice to be higher up on the podium there have been. There could be a worse weekend in terms of points."