Five talking points from a damp Turkish GP

Bottas: his best drive?

On the back of a frankly embarrassing performance in Russia where he seemed to let a charging Verstappen pass without a hint of defence (or pride), Bottas had a chance to add to his win tally as the races count down on his time in the fastest F1 car on the grid – before he switches to one of the slowest. Sure, he was outpaced by Hamilton in qualifying. But safe in the knowledge the seven-time world champion would take a 10-place grid drop for the new engine fitted to his Mercedes-AMG, Bottas had outpaced Verstappen and inherited a pole position he had every intention of converting to a first win since Russia last year.

He did so with an accomplished performance that kept him out of reach of the lead Red Bull. “It’s been a while but it feels good,” said the Finn, who will drive for Sauber (aka Alfa Romeo) next year. “From my side, it was one of the best races I’ve had – ever. Apart from that one little slide I’ve had everything under control. 

“The car was good in every condition, really good confidence in it. I’m glad everything went smooth for once for me. It was nice. When only one drying line, it doesn’t need much to go off. I definitely needed to focus all through the race. A difficult one, but feels like a well-earned victory.”

It was, and you had to be pleased for him. But it begs the question once again: why couldn’t he do this more often during his five years at Mercedes?

Hamilton’s annoyance at Mercedes

Last time in Russia his team called it right and helped win him the grand prix. This time? The Merc pitwall probably cost Hamilton a couple of places, although as ever hindsight is a wonderful thing. Had Lewis stuck to his guns and gone the distance on one set of intermediates, as he wanted, would he have held off Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc for a third place behind Verstappen that would have left him just one point behind his rival? Instead, he came in as ordered, switched to new inters, dropped to fifth, struggled with graining, couldn’t gain back what he’d lost and is now six points down in a season where every single one earned and lost might well end up counting.

He was cross on the radio, but more reflective once he’d had time to calm down. “I think probably in hindsight, I should have either stayed out or come in much earlier,” he said. “Because when you come in with eight laps to go, you don’t have time to go through the graining phase of tyre on a drying track. So then I went through this whole sliding phase where I nearly lost four positions. A bit frustrating, but it is what it is.

“It felt good to be in third and it was like, ‘if I can just hold on to this, this is a great result from 11^th’. Fifth is worse – but it could be worse.”

Leclerc also loses out

Charles Leclerc was in a similar predicament to Hamilton a little earlier in the race. The Ferrari ace chose to stick it out as Bottas and Verstappen pitted and assumed the lead – but realised going all the way on one set of inters wasn’t going to work. Bottas kept his cool in this phase of the race, caught the Ferrari and passed him without difficulty. Leclerc eventually pitted on lap 47, but at least gained a place back to finish fourth when Hamilton stopped with eight to go. “For the last 10 laps I was just trying to switch on those inters that never really came to life,” said the Monegasque. “It’s a bit of a shame because that made us lose the podium, but I don’t regret anything.”

Perez shows his fighting spirit

Sergio Perez reminded Red Bull why it is keeping him on beside Verstappen for a second season with a fine performance to ensure a double podium in the one-off white livery used in tribute to outgoing engine partner Honda. His best moment of the race? That’s easy. ‘Checo’s’ determined defence against Hamilton from the top of the circuit, through the final chicane and into Turn 1. If you hadn’t known which Red Bull it was you’d have sworn Lewis was going wheel to wheel again with Verstappen. Instead, it was the feisty Mexican, who is clearly no pushover. He never was – but it was a good time for him to remind us all, especially his bosses. Now he just needs to sort out his qualifying.

Bad day for Alonso and Vettel

Not the best day for the old guard – OK, Seb is still only 34, but you know what I mean. Fernando Alonso did brilliantly to line up fifth on the grid and outshine yet again Esteban Ocon at Alpine. But his race went wrong from the moment he was pitched off at Turn 1 by Pierre Gasly – although did the Frenchman really deserve that penalty? It looked a harsh one. But Alonso absolutely deserved his own punishment when he bumbled into Mick Schumacher’s Haas. Not his finest moment.

As for that man Vettel, his gamble to try slicks backfired horribly and left him a danger to everyone thanks to the frightening pace deficit it created. Sixteenth for Fernando, 18^th for Seb. Best forget about this one, chaps. Let’s move on to Austin.

Images courtesy of Motorsport Images.