Source: Mercedes-Benz Archive

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Bottas admits he can't be happy with fourth

Bottas admits he "can't be happy with fourth"

16-09-2018 09:15
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Jake Williams-Smith

Valtteri Bottas has admitted that he cannot be happy with fourth on the grid for the Singapore Grand Prix after teammate Lewis Hamilton left everyone in his dust to set an untouchable pole position time that was 0.6s quicker than the Finn.

Speaking after qualifying, Bottas told media that despite starting ahead of Kimi Raikkonen and Daniel Ricciardo he was disappointed to only line-up fourth on the grid.

“I can’t be happy with fourth because everything was going quite nicely in FP3 and even all the way until Q2 but suddenly the others could find more grip but I couldn’t,” Bottas said.

“That’s where the difference was in Q3, which I need to have a look at.

“I think the tyre preparation could have been slightly better but, at this point, I can’t see it as being the key.”

Bottas also admitted that he was at a loss as to how his teammate managed to find so much time in final qualifying to leave the rest of the field so far adrift of his time of a 1:36.015s.

“Our car was on pole position and that shows we have a pretty competitive car in here,” he explained.

“I think Lewis did a great lap, my lap was definitively missing a bit, but not six or seven tenths.

“So, there is still something for me to understand, why such a big gap because it was pretty close between Lewis and me in FP3 and both in Q1 and Q2.

“Suddenly, I could improve but he could improve more.

“I’m really pleased we improved the car in what has been one of the most difficult races for us, I guess that’s good for tomorrow.”