Bottas Cites Car Performance As Reason For His 15th Place In Championship

Wednesday, 20 December 2023 at 05:00

Sauber (formerly Alfa Romeo) driver Valtteri Bottas blamed his P15 in the Championship on the performance of his car during a recent interview.

Valtteri Bottas achieved a P15 in the Drivers' Championship in the 2023 season, and most people might say that Bottas lost his speed and performance, but the Finn suggested it wasn't his fault.

Bottas achieved quite a success in his career with 57 podiums and 10 Grand Prix victories, so we know the Finn should not be a slow driver.

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The 34-year-old said a lot of the results depend on the performance of the car. in an interview with Motorsport magazine, he said:

"I would say in this tight field a lot of it depends on the performance of the car. You just need the car. I know if the car is ready then I will get the points, but we haven't been in that position this season. Points were out of reach for us in almost all races. We definitely missed our goals this year."

Bottas used to drive for the fastest team in the grid, so finding himself at the back of the grid all of a sudden probably isn't the most pleasant experience for the Sauber F1 driver. On the other hand, Bottas is satisfied with his own performances:

"I feel like I did well. There are always a few races where I would have done something differently, but I'm happy with my performance."

Only the top ten drivers receive points in Formula One, so it is very challenging for a driver with an uncompetitive car to break through.

On the other hand, Bottas showed his qualities as he beat his own teammate Zhou Guanyu in almost all measurable aspects and finished three positions better in the Championship. The 34-year-old added:

"If you're not in the top 10, then you have problems showing what you can do and what your performance looks like. In fact, there is only your teammate to compare yourself to. He has definitely taken a good step compared to last year. It was a little more balanced this year."