Bottas says "massive bee" thwarted first-lap pass attempt
Valtteri Bottas said a "massive bee" hitting his helmet under braking for Turn 2 in Sochi cost him the chance to pull off a first-lap pass on Lewis Hamilton.
The Finn had got a good slipstream after the start and was set up to try to get around the outside of his Mercedes teammate at the first braking zone.
But in the end he went in too deep, revealing that he had been distracted when a large insect smashed into his visor.
"I obviously tried," said Bottas, who in the end went on to claim victory after Hamilton was hit with two five-second penalties for practice start infringements.
"I knew the start was going to be the first opportunity. Actually, it was a bit compromised because there was like a massive bee or something that hit my visor as I was braking.
"I couldn't really see when I should brake. So that's why I went too deep.
"But I knew it was going be a long race after that and, with the medium tyre, I had opportunities. But obviously Lewis had penalties, so once I was in clean air I felt the pace was pretty awesome and I could really control everything."
Hamilton's need to stop for 10 seconds prior to his only pitstop dropped him back into the pack, but he was able to recover to take third place at the chequered flag and minimise the points loss to Bottas.
Clearly disappointed after the race, Hamilton did not want to dwell on why he had made practice starts in the wrong position.
"It was not the greatest day, but it is what it is," he said.
Asked about the starts and why he had made them, Hamilton said: "It doesn't matter. It's done now so. I take the points that I got, and move on."
Hamilton still holds a 44 points lead over Bottas in the drivers' championship after the Russian GP.
But potentially of more concern to the championship leader is that he now has 10 penalty points on his licence after the Russian GP sanctions, which means he is just two points away from a one-race ban.
Related video
Previous article
Russian GP: Bottas takes comfortable win after Hamilton penalty
Next article
Hamilton: F1 stewards "trying to stop me" with penalties
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Event | Russian GP |
| Drivers | Valtteri Bottas |
| Author | Jonathan Noble |
Sebastian Vettel explains why Aston Martin
Aston Martin AMR21 Unveiling
The updates Williams hopes will lead to a point-scoring return
After producing a car which demonstrated progress but lacked the points to prove it last year, Williams starts its new era of team ownership with the FW43B, its bid to continue the climb up the Formula 1 grid in 2021
How Ferrari plans to recover from its 2020 F1 nightmare
The 2020 Formula 1 season was Ferrari's worst for 40 years as it slumped to sixth in the standings. A repeat performance will not be acceptable for the proud Italian team, which has adopted a notably pragmatic approach to forging its path back to the top
Why Aston Martin’s arrival is more than just new green livery
In the most eagerly anticipated Formula 1 team launch of the season, the rebranded Aston Martin squad’s changes go much further than the striking paint job. But rather than a restart, the team hopes to build on top of solid foundations.
The car Aston Martin begins its new F1 journey with
The team formerly known as Racing Point gambled successfully on a Mercedes look-alike in 2020 as it mounted a strong challenge for third in the constructors' race and won the Sakhir GP. Now clothed in British racing green, Aston Martin's first Formula 1 challenger since 1960 provides the clearest indicator yet of what to expect from the new-for-2021 regulations
The tricky driver conundrums facing Mercedes in F1 2021
Ahead of the new Formula 1 season, reigning world champions Mercedes will take on challenges both old and new. This also can be said for its driver conundrum which could become key to sustaining its ongoing success...
How Alpine's cure to 2021 F1 rules starts at the front
A new name, new faces and new colours pulls the rebranded Alpine Formula 1 team into a new era while carrying over core elements of its 2020 car. But under the surface there's more than meets the eye with the A521 which hints at how the team will tackle 2021...
Can Mercedes' W12 retain the team's crown?
Replacing Formula 1's fastest car was never going to be an easy feat for Mercedes. Amid the technical rule tweaks to peg back the W12 and its 2021 rivals, the new Mercedes challenger will remain the target to beat
The pointed note that starts Ferrari's Leclerc vs Sainz era
Ferrari is starting its post-Sebastian Vettel age by welcoming Carlos Sainz in alongside Charles Leclerc. But while Sainz has a tough challenge to match his new teammate, Ferrari is also sending a message that previous intra-team spats must end
