Skip to main content

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Recommended for you

Judge rules against anti Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway group in effort to ballot track protections

NASCAR Cup
Judge rules against anti Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway group in effort to ballot track protections

Cleetus McFarland and Squirrel McNutt Shake and Bake at ARCA Talladega

ARCA
Cleetus McFarland and Squirrel McNutt Shake and Bake at ARCA Talladega

WRC Canary Islands: Sebastien Ogier leads as Toyota locks out top five

WRC
Rally Islas Canarias
WRC Canary Islands: Sebastien Ogier leads as Toyota locks out top five

Carlos Sainz encouraged by key Williams progress after tough 2026 start

Formula 1
Saudi Arabian GP
Carlos Sainz encouraged by key Williams progress after tough 2026 start

Jim France to step down as NASCAR CEO in major executive shift

NASCAR Cup
Talladega
Jim France to step down as NASCAR CEO in major executive shift

David Coulthard: Miami GP may not reveal true impact of F1 rule tweaks

Formula 1
Saudi Arabian GP
David Coulthard: Miami GP may not reveal true impact of F1 rule tweaks

Jenson Button and Jacques Villeneuve set for 2026 Goodwood Revival showdown in Jaguar E-types

Formula 1
Saudi Arabian GP
Jenson Button and Jacques Villeneuve set for 2026 Goodwood Revival showdown in Jaguar E-types

Tony Kanaan opens up on Lundgaard, Siegel contract situation

IndyCar
Long Beach
Tony Kanaan opens up on Lundgaard, Siegel contract situation

Canada a "wake-up" call in F1 title fight - Bottas

Valtteri Bottas says he cannot afford many weekends like the Canadian Grand Prix after getting "a bit of a wake-up call" in the Formula 1 title battle.

Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes AMG F1

Bottas has fallen to 29 points adrift of teammate Lewis Hamilton, who took his fifth win from the first seven races of the season in controversial circumstances in Montreal.

Read Also:

While Hamilton inherited victory thanks to a penalty for Sebastian Vettel, Bottas finished fourth after only qualifying sixth – the first time a Mercedes driver finished off the podium this season.

While Bottas "didn't feel it was that difficult" performance-wise in Canada, he admitted he paid the price for making errors at key moments in qualifying, when he had a half-spin and then a scruffy lap.

"I still felt really good in Q1 and Q2, in Q2 I had a clear idea of how to improve and where to improve, and I was really confident," said Bottas.

"Then it really came down to a silly mistake that meant I lost quite a few points, which is obviously annoying. I can't really afford many of these type of weekends if I want to fight for the title. I have to move on.

"Maybe it was a bit of a wake-up call again. I'm sure I can always learn from that. For me, thoughts are already on the French Grand Prix."

Bottas salvaged an extra point by securing the bonus point for fastest lap, but with two wins to Hamilton's five has lost the momentum he had after the first four races of the season.

Hamilton has won the last three grands prix whereas Bottas has finished second, third and fourth – although he would have been second in Monaco but for a pitlane incident with Max Verstappen.

Asked if he was struggling to deal with the pressure of the title battle, Bottas said: "No, I have no pressure. I am very happy about the situation and how everything's been going since the beginning of the year.

"I'm enjoying it. I made one mistake [in qualifying]. Maybe at the end I was trying too much to recover that. That can happen.

"I wouldn't say anything from the last couple of races was anything to do with pressure. I don't think that [wilting under the pressure] is going to happen."

Previous article Vettel: F1 now "not the sport I fell in love with"
Next article Villeneuve: Ricciardo, not Vettel, deserved penalty in Canada

Top Comments

Latest news