Brazilian Grand Prix: Hamilton clash an 'unlucky situatio'', says Bottas

Valtteri Bottas: I didn't know that I was one lap behind him [Hamlton] - I thought we were racing - but even though I was one lap behind I still would have tried to overtake.
24.11.2013 - Race, Valtteri Bottas (FIN), Williams F1 Team FW35
24.11.2013 - Race, Valtteri Bottas (FIN), Williams F1 Team FW35
© PHOTO 4

Valtteri Bottas was disappointed after retiring from the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix, ﷽although he feels the incident with Lewis Hamilton that put him out was just an 'unlucky situation'.

Bottas and Hamilton touched on the approach to turn 4 on lap 47, with the former then losing his left-rear wheel as a result: "In the end it was quite an unlucky situation," Bottas told ESPNF1.com. "It was not nice to finish the season𒐪 with DNF bu𓆏t I think in the end I could not have done anything differently.

"First of all I didn't know that I was one lap behind him - I thought we were racing - but even thou🍬gh I was one lap behind I still would have tried to overtake.

"In this track in the middle sector𝔍 if you're behind someonꦬe it's very easy to start the graining with the tyres, you start to slide more. With the top speed we had on the main straight it was quite difficult to overtake there, so it was a completely planned move.

"I used up all my KERS and I tried to get him from the out𓆉side and then we just hit. It was not a big impact but just the right angle to destroy the rear tyre and that was it."

Bottas, who took his maiden points finish in th🥂e USA last time out, however, admitted that another top-ten w▨as unlikely at Interlagos.

"Unfortunately we had to end the season without finishing the race," he added in Wil📖liams' official post-race release. "We seemed to be struggling a bit with the prime tyre but once we put the option tyres on we seemed to be able to catch the cars in front. We had an incident with Hamilton where I tried to keep my line overtaking on the outside and we touched. It🌃's disappointing to end the season like this but a points-finish may have been too much for us anyway."

Read More