Bottas: Baku win payback for 2018 heartache

Valtteri Bottas says his victory at Formula 1’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix “pays back” the disappointment of losing the race win last year.

The Finn was cruelly robbed of a deserved victory in Baku last year when he suffered a late puncture, but this time around Bottas fended off Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton to record a redemptive win.

It marked Mercedes’ fourth consecutive one-two finish so far this season, with the reigning world champions making a record-breaking start to 2019, while Bottas has moved back into the lead of the drivers’ world championship by a single point.

“It was a tough race, even though there wasn’t much going on at the front,” Bottas said.

“Lewis was putting pressure on all the time, so I couldn’t make any mistakes but, honestly, everything was under control, so I’m happy to see the chequered flag and get this first place.

“It means a lot to win. It’s incredible the level we’re performing as a team, that’s why I was just saying at the guys I’m so proud to be part of that.

“We’re all performing really, really well. For me as well it’s only my fifth win and it feels good and pays back from last year.”

Bottas had to defend from Hamilton at the start after making a slightly slower getaway but managed to hold the lead, something he believes was the key to his win.

“It’s never easy to have Lewis attacking flat out behind, but the main thing for me was to focus on my own doing and not going for the silly mistakes, trying to push too hard and I managed to keep it together,” he explained.

“I think the start was the most critical point, I think Lewis had a better getaway from the line. I was perhaps too cautious off the line, just tried to prevent any wheelspin or anything, so then I had to defend a bit into Turn 1 and Turn 2, but it was nice and clean and fair, and I enjoyed that.

“I was all the time aware of the gap to Lewis, and I could sometimes see him pushing really hard, and sometimes saving a bit. That’s how it goes. With the blue-flagged cars, sometimes you lose a lot, sometimes you get some help which is always welcome. So thanks to George, I’m happy to buy him a pint of beer!”

Asked whether he feels the title fight could be solely between the Mercedes duo, Bottas replied: “At the moment it looks like that, but it’s obviously a long season ahead, and we’re performing as a team on an incredible level in all areas, not only the car.

“It’s a long season ahead, but we’re leading in the points with a good margin. But it’s early days. I’m just focusing on my championship now, and for the moment, it’s Lewis the main challenge. But we’ll take it race by race.”