Valtteri Bottas 'could have done better' with crash
ByAutoSport
Updated 24/05/2017 at 18:03 GMT
Valtteri Bottas has admitted he "could have done a better job" in the build-up to his first-corner crash with Kimi Raikkonen and Max Verstappen in Formula 1's Spanish Grand Prix.
Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) - GP of Spain 2017
Image credit: Daimler AG
The Mercedes driver clipped his fellow Finn Raikkonen into Turn 1, which sent the Ferrari into Verstappen's Red Bull and caused both to retire.
Bottas managed to continue after the incident, although a late engine failure meant he failed to finish as well.
Speaking ahead of this week's Monaco Grand Prix, Bottas admitted he had "definitely" learned from reviewing the accident.
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Lewis Hamilton congratulates Valtteri Bottas in Sochi
Image credit: Reuters
"I could have done a better job," he said. "The braking point for Turn 1, I could have lost the reference being so close to Sebastian [Vettel] so I just wasn't really correct in the situation. Initially I braked a bit too early and then released the brakes.
"That created the opportunity for Kimi to try and come round the outside. Then I ran out of space inside and it was quite unfortunate, three cars side-by-side it can be tight. I think it was a racing incident but definitely I could personally have braked later."
Verstappen and Raikkonen blamed Bottas for the crash in the immediate aftermath and the Dutch driver reiterated that view in Monaco on Wednesday.
Verstappen described himself as a "passenger" in the collision but said he was banking on Bottas "not only backing out, but also not to touch anyone".
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Sebastian Vettel of Germany driving the (5) Scuderia Ferrari SF70H leads Valtteri Bottas driving the (77) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes F1 WO8 on track during the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix at Circuit de Catalunya on May 14, 2017 in Montmelo,
Image credit: Getty Images
He added: "I think it all started from where he braked too early, because he was almost second and then he was almost fifth. That's a massive difference."
Asked by Autosport if his move around the outside was over-optimistic, Verstappen replied that it was "definitely doable".
"If you look from the top, I was definitely ahead," he said. "But then it's just unfortunate.
"It there were a few more centimetres of space between Valtteri and Kimi, we would've all gone through the corner, because it's wide enough over there. It's just a bit of an unlucky moment between three cars."
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