Bottas penalised for Hungarian GP clash with Ricciardo
Valtteri Bottas has been given a 10-second penalty and two penalty points by the Formula 1 stewards for his clash with Daniel Ricciardo in the Hungarian Grand Prix
The punishment does not change Bottas's fifth-place result as he had a 23s cushion back to Pierre Gasly in sixth.
Bottas was trying to limp to the finish on extremely worn tyres and with wing damage from a collision with Sebastian Vettel - which the stewards did not investigate - when he was caught for fourth place by Ricciardo.
The Red Bull driver made a move down the outside of the Mercedes into Turn 1 but Bottas understeered into Ricciardo and pushed him wide over the runoff.
"I feel I did all I could and gave him enough room, but I guess with the damage he went in pretty hard," Ricciardo told Sky Sports F1.
"It was definitely over the top."
Bottas argued that Ricciardo had brought the incident on himself and should have been more aware of the condition of the Mercedes.
"I was more next to him on the inside, I had no front half of my wing so I was locking up as well," said Bottas.
"I am sure he saw that I was going quite quick into the corner but he still turned in and then we touched."
The stewards' report said Ricciardo had given Bottas "plenty of room" and the collision happened because the Mercedes ran wide due to its "compromised line and less downforce from the front wing".
Ricciardo was able to catch and repass Bottas for fourth in the following laps.
"I wanted to still get him back on track as opposed to waiting for a penalty," he said.
Mercedes had recommended to Bottas that he let Ricciardo through after the incident but he argued against it.
When told of the radio message Bottas received, Ricciardo replied: "Thanks to Mercedes for that."
Previous article
Renault F1 engine failures 'difficult to accept' - Max Verstappen
Next article
Sebastian Vettel doesn't blame Valtteri Bottas for Hungary clash
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Drivers | Daniel Ricciardo , Valtteri Bottas |
| Author | Matt Beer |
Why Mercedes isn't confident it's really ahead of Red Bull at Imola
While Mercedes struck back against Red Bull by topping the times at Imola on Friday ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the overall picture remains incredibly close. Despite having a possible edge this weekend, the reigning Formula 1 world champion squad is not taking anything for granted...
What Mercedes must do to keep its F1 title challenge on track
Mercedes may find itself leading the drivers' and constructors' standings after Lewis Hamilton's victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix, but it is well-aware that it came against the odds, with Red Bull clearly ahead on pace. Here's what the Brackley team must do to avoid its crown slipping
Why Tsunoda can become Japan’s greatest F1 talent
While Japan's fever for motor racing is well-documented, the country has yet to produce a Formula 1 superstar – but that could be about to change, says BEN EDWARDS
Why the demise of F1's hypocritical spending habit is cause for celebration
For too long, F1's richest teams have justified being able to spend as much as they want because that's the way they've always conducted their business. STUART CODLING says that's no reason not to kick a bad habit
The double whammy that is defining Vettel’s F1 fate
It's been a tough start to Sebastian Vettel's Aston Martin F1 career, with a lack of pre-season testing mileage followed by an incident-packed Bahrain GP. But two key underlying factors mean a turnaround is not guaranteed
The diva that stole a march on F1’s wide-bodied opposition
In 2017 new F1 technical regulations were supposed to add drama - and peg Mercedes back. STUART CODLING looks at the car which, while troubled, set the stage for the wide-bodied Formula 1 era
The themes to watch in F1’s Imola return
Three weeks is a long time in Formula 1, but in the reshaped start to the 2021 season the teams head to Imola to pick things up after the frenetic Bahrain opener. Here's what to look out for and the developments to follow at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
The 'new' F1 drivers who need to improve at Imola
After a pandemic-hit winter of seat-swapping, F1 kicked off its season with several new faces in town, other drivers adapting to new environments, and one making a much-anticipated comeback. BEN ANDERSON looks at who made the most of their opportunity and who needs to try harder…
