It barely seemed to go right for Valtteri Bottas in 2018. He finished runner-up seven times without a win – a new, unwanted record in Formula 1 – and slumped to fifth in the final standings. Motorsport Week takes a look at how and where Bottas came close, and how the cards not once fell in his favour.
Bahrain – The first of the seconds
Bottas jumped Kimi Raikkonen at the start but trailed Sebastian Vettel throughout the race beneath the lights at Sakhir. Vettel had planned a two-stop strategy but Raikkonen’s botched pit stop meant he had to remain out on increasingly worn rubber, bringing Bottas into play late on. Bottas was presented with a half-chance on the final lap but Vettel remained clear, crossing the line 0.699s in front of the Finn.
China – A victim of stamp-licking
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It was a near-repeat of Bahrain for a while: Bottas cleared Raikkonen but trailed polesitter Vettel. However, Mercedes used the undercut, a quicker stop, and a stunning in/out-lap from Bottas to take the lead from the Ferrari driver. It looked good for Bottas – but the clashing Toro Rosso drivers left debris that required the Safety Car. Daniel Ricciardo took on fresh tyres, carved his way through the pack, and picked off leader Bottas with aplomb to take the win.
Azerbaijan – Where the streets have no gain
Race leader Vettel and nearest rival Hamilton stopped as planned for fresh tyres, while third-placed Bottas extended his Supersoft stint in an attempt at an alternative strategy. It played into Bottas’ hands when the Red Bull drivers collided, triggering the Safety Car, and giving him a net free stop. A fired-up Vettel tried to reclaim the lead at the restart but locked up and Bottas held firm. It was in the bag… until he struck an unseen shard of debris that punctured his rear-right tyre with just three laps to go. Bottas was understandably devastated.
Canada – Better than Hamilton, but…
Getting the best of current-spec Hamilton is not an easy feat but in Canada, where the Briton is usually strong, he was slightly subdued in 2018. Bottas out-qualified Hamilton and was clear in race trim…but unfortunately it was on a weekend where the Vettel/Ferrari axis was dominant. Bottas finished runner-up, having fended off a spirited Max Verstappen early on, for the fourth time in just seven Grands Prix.
Austria – Pole advantage disappears
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In 2017 Bottas went from pole to victory in Austria and a repeat looked favourable after he took top spot during qualifying for the first time in 2018. It was team-mate Hamilton, though, who made a better start. Bottas retained second, as Mercedes controlled proceedings, but a hydraulics failure after just 13 laps put the kibosh on his race.
Britain – The gamble fails to pay off
Vettel controlled proceedings in hot weather at Silverstone but while he came into the pits for a second stop when Marcus Ericsson’s shunt caused a Safety Car period, Bottas stayed out. The time taken to recover Ericsson’s car, allied to another clash between Romain Grosjean and Carlos Sainz Jr., effectively left the race neutralised for 10 laps, leading a 10-lap shootout for the win. Bottas tried to hold on but Vettel found a way through, after which Bottas slipped to fourth on worn rubber.
Germany – Playing the team game, Pt I
Vettel was in control of his home Grand Prix but a rain shower two-thirds of the way through a pulsating race caught him out, and he slithered into the wall. His stricken Ferrari required the deployment of the Safety Car, and new race leader Bottas ducked into the pits, emerging behind team-mate Hamilton. Bottas, on fresher tyres, attacked at the restart but after a brief phase of silver wheel-to-wheel action the pit wall issued instructions for Bottas to hold second.
Russia – Playing the team game, Pt II
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Bottas, at the scene of his maiden victory, took pole position and stayed ahead, while Hamilton forced his way back past Vettel in the wake of strategy dropping him behind his opponent. Hamilton remained within sight of Bottas and shortly before mid-distance Mercedes ordered the pair to swap positions, an instruction to which Bottas duly obliged. Bottas went on to finish second, and repeated the result a week later in Japan, which proved to be his final 2018 podium.
See also: In conversation with Valtteri Bottas
