Andy Shovlin has blamed cold temperatures, tyre wear and understeer for Valtteri Bottas' inability to follow Max Verstappen through the field in Sochi. Starting the Russian Grand Prix from 16th place on the grid, Bottas was lapping well outside the points before a late-race rain shower saw an inspired strategy call that put the Finn up into fifth place. But while Bottas struggled to pass other cars in the dry around the Sochi circuit, the same cannot be said of Verstappen. Although he started P20, the Red Bull driver quickly closed in on Bottas, passed him by lap 7, and worked his way up to seventh when the rain hit. He recovered to P2. Mercedes trackside engineering director Shovlin...
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