The Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix has been red-flagged after a heavy crash involving Valtteri Bottas and George Russell.
Both drivers were seen walking away from the crash scene and heard talking on their radios after the collision which occured on the approach to the Tamburello chicane on the race’s 32nd lap.Russell was trying to overtake Bottas as they approached the first corner at one of the fastest points on the circuit. The Williams driver ran onto the grass, spun sideways into the Mercedes, and the pair hurtled off the track together.
Bottas wiped out several brake marker boards on the left-hand side of the circuit. The two drivers made impacts with the barriers before coming to a stop.
The incident left the track covered with debris on the approach to the corner. Race control red-flagged the race, which still has 30 laps to run if and when it is restarted.
Both drivers expressed frustration with each other on their radios after the crash. “What the fuck was he doing,” exclaimed Russell. “Honestly.” Bottas reported he was “all good” after his car came to a rest.
Cameras caught an angry exchange between their pair after Russell confronted Bottas in his car afterwards. Russell struck his rival’s crash helmet while Bottas raised his middle finger in response.
The stewards will investigate the collision between the pair after the race.
Image: F1 via Twitter
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Dave
18th April 2021, 15:29
Totaled.
bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
18th April 2021, 15:42
I really don’t see what Bottas did wrong? He gave the space, it was George who found the grass.
Dave
18th April 2021, 16:13
I strongly believe that Russell picked a bit of grass and lost control.
TFLB (@tflb)
18th April 2021, 16:15
Russell came across as a total… daft person… both during the accident and his reaction to it. 100% his fault. I’m seeing 3 points and a 10-place grid drop.
Tommy C (@tommy-c)
18th April 2021, 16:16
That was a pretty scary incident to see. Glad to see they’re both OK. After seeing the onboard with Kimi behind, it’s hard to apportion blame on either driver.
glynh (@glynh)
18th April 2021, 16:17
Racing incident I would say. Bottas moved across but left plenty of room then Russell messed up thinking he would have to avoid him.
Dave
18th April 2021, 16:27
Racing incident, yes. Went for the outside move, messed up and lost…everything.
OOliver
18th April 2021, 17:04
Bottas drove on the dry racing line of the track.
Retired (@jeff1s)
18th April 2021, 16:22
Not clever by the newly appointed GPDA director Russell, on and off the track.
The Williams visibly caught wet grass and white line and rammed into the side of Bottas (ala Vettel/Button Spa 2010).
I don’t get why he is rarely self questioning instead of pointing the finger.
Dave
18th April 2021, 16:26
Listening to his radio outburst, I don’t hope he overshot it, if you know what I mean.
Mairo (@t-a-r)
18th April 2021, 16:23
I don’t think Russell went on grass, but you can see as soon as he hits the white line the car revs up. White line you want to avoid in wet on slicks.
Sumedh
18th April 2021, 16:28
Racing incident but little extra blame to Russell for the crash. Bottas left a car’s width (irrespective of whether you think he jerked to the right or he just followed the racing line). Russell over-reacted to get on the grass.
But for the post crash drama, Russell fully at fault
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
18th April 2021, 16:28
I think he just went over the damp part of the track, and lost it. Nothing Bottas could do. Russell had space, but made a mistake and took both out.
StefMeister (@stefmeister)
18th April 2021, 16:30
I the only one that thinks DRS played a role in the crash a bit?
I think George was catching Bottas at such a huge rate of speed with the DRS that it caught both of them out through the 1st little kink. It looked like Bottas started to move a little right at a point when George was still quite a way behind but the closing speed was so big that George was suddenly about to get alongside almost before Valtteri had time to spot it & that George also got caught out by the closing speed a bit & over-reacted to Bottas drifting to the right.
I also wonder if having less downforce at the rear due to having the wing open through that little kink while also been off the dry racing line & on the damp patch may have caused the car to snap slideways in a way that clearly caught George out.
carbon_fibre (@carbon_fibre)
18th April 2021, 16:43
Exactly, this accident wouldn’t have happened if the DRS zone wasn’t extended. Bottas must have been blind-sighted by Russell.
Roth Man (@rdotquestionmark)
18th April 2021, 16:31
Think Bottas tried to put some manners on his career threat there. Not the best place to weave and close the gap. Russell unsurprisingly overreacted to a gap he thought was going to close completely and touched the grass. Bottas did leave enough space but Russell understandingly didn’t think he was going to, all in a split second at 180mph of course. Another dismal weekend for Bottas.
Roth Man (@rdotquestionmark)
18th April 2021, 16:31
Some similarities to Barcelona 2016.
luigismen (@luigismen)
18th April 2021, 16:39
I Thought the same thing, Bottas moved to the right and I think Russell believed he was going to be pushed out, so touched a little grass there.
Misjudged by Russell there, mostly his fault, but also bad luck.
Dave
26th April 2021, 15:34
“Bottas me say alone ramp”…and you know what happened next.
Dave
29th August 2021, 20:30
This didn’t age well