Bottas handed grid penalty for Belgian GP after Hungary crash
Valtteri Bottas has received a five-place grid penalty for causing the Turn 1 crash involving four cars in Sunday’s Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix.
Bottas slid into the rear of McLaren’s Lando Norris under braking in damp conditions at the first corner, losing control of his Mercedes.
This sent Norris into the path of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull car, while Bottas careered into Verstappen’s team-mate, Sergio Perez.
The collision eliminated Bottas and Perez from the race immediately before the race was red flagged due to the amount of debris left strewn across the circuit.
Norris was able to get his McLaren car back to the pits under the red flag, but the team found the damage on his car was terminal, meaning he too retired from the race.
Norris said in the media pen that Bottas had apologised for the incident, and anticipated a penalty as the stewards moved to investigate the incident.
In a bulletin issued before the end of Sunday’s grand prix, the stewards announced that Bottas would receive a five-place grid drop for the next round in Belgium after the summer break for “causing an avoidable collision”.
As well as the five-place grid penalty, Bottas also received two points on his FIA superlicence, taking him up to four for the 12-month period.
“Immediately after the start, in the braking zone to Turn 1, car 77 collided with the rear of car 4,” the report from the stewards read.
“The stewards took into consideration the track conditions, however the driver of car 77 was fully to blame for the collision.”
Norris was left disappointed with Bottas’ error, saying that he had expected better when racing the leading drivers.
“You expect a little bit more from when you’re racing those top guys at the front of the field,” Norris said.
“But also they don’t race that often, they’re quite on their own, and not in the pack getting in dirty air and things as much as we are.
“So maybe they just don’t experience it, and they need to learn that a little bit more.”
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