Valtteri Bottas and Lance Stroll have been given five-place grid penalties for triggering a collisions at the start of the Hungarian Grand Prix.
After the race began on a wet track, Bottas ran into the back of Lando Norris on the way into turn one, then skidded into the side of Sergio Perez. All three retired while Max Verstappen, who was hit by Norris’ out-of-control McLaren, suffered damage which badly compromised his race.Bottas was also given two penalty points on his licence, putting him on a total of four. He will serve the grid penalty at the next round of the championship at Spa-Francorchamps.
The stewards said they “took into consideration the track conditions” but ruled “the driver of car 77 was fully to blame for the collision.”
Moments after the Bottas crash, Stroll piled into the back of Charles Leclerc, taking himself and the Ferrari driver out, and knocking Daniel Ricciardo into a spin.
The stewards gave a similar verdict on Stroll’s incident as they did for Bottas, and awarded him the same penalty. The Aston Martin driver is now on a total of six penalty points.
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bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
1st August 2021, 16:00
To be expected, I couldn’t see a race ban to be honest. On the one hand it doesn’t make him look good in the bid to keep his seat. But equally I can’t see Toto being too disappointed with how it all panned out in the end.
Gusmaia
1st August 2021, 16:12
Wouldnt this improve his chances for the next year?
He ended up taking out VER.
Bonno (@inininin)
1st August 2021, 16:13
Not sure I’d hire a driver based on his ability to crash into competitors.
MG1982 (@mg1982)
1st August 2021, 16:22
He’s a no.2, just ensuring HAM gets the titles, nothing else!!!
bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
1st August 2021, 16:19
That’s what I’m saying, Toto won’t mind too much.
DaveW (@dmw)
1st August 2021, 16:14
That was so clumsy even with the wet track. Good thing as far as his seat is that Russell has not looked great recently and got beat by Latifi today.
Mercedes missed an open goal today. From
The time of the bottas-missile attack that was really the best RBR could have hoped for from Hamilton.
MG1982 (@mg1982)
1st August 2021, 16:16
Really?! He took out both RBRs and gave HAM a massive helping hand in points… and doesn’t bode well in keeping his seat?? I could see a race ban, something more serious since he altered artificially a lot the titles fight.
Robert (@rob8k)
1st August 2021, 16:37
Well Masi did come out and say that they judge the incidents themselves and not the outcome of the incidents so I don’t see how a race ban would ever be on the table. A harsher penalty shouldn’t be considered just because of who was involved, otherwise I take we just give lenient penalties if it was just Haas drivers that were involved?
DaveW (@dmw)
1st August 2021, 16:44
If you have a guy who can make a split second calculation on how hitting one car will take out two specific cars and not his teammate in a process that would take a supercomputer to model then you do really have a genius. I’m sure Toto ordered the papers drawn up before the wrecked car ground to a stop.
neiana
1st August 2021, 19:06
@dmw First, no it wouldn’t take a computer at all. Watch his in car, the doofus could’ve attempted literally anything but no, he was very focused on driving straight into Norris’ vehicle. And any human with an ounce of a brain (and working eyes) would also have been aware that the only cars on the outside to be touched were RBR
Second, I don’t think he did it on purpose, but holy heck dude, it’s not rocket science. Just a straight line. Literally. It’s the first thing babies can draw. A line.
EffWunFan (@cairnsfella)
2nd August 2021, 2:13
I watched the replay many times. I am slightly offended that you have concluded that I do not have an ounce of brain (my eyes are not as good as they were, but they work).
Patrick (@anunaki)
1st August 2021, 16:13
That’s a small thing to take for the result Mercedes got today.
TFLB (@tflb)
1st August 2021, 16:15
He’s just so bad. Can’t wait till he’s out of F1.
jlb
1st August 2021, 16:15
Mr. Valtteri Bottas showing what he actually is. A deplorable puppet for the interest of FOM’s chosen champion.
TurboBT
1st August 2021, 16:21
jlb – jalab?
Cide (@cide)
1st August 2021, 16:17
This guy has no business driving an F1 car, let alone a merc.
wsrgo (@wsrgo)
1st August 2021, 16:17
Knowing what an amazing racer Bottas is, this basically ensures either a non top 5 finish at Spa, or another crash caused by him at La Source.
MG1982 (@mg1982)
1st August 2021, 16:18
BEST NO.2 EVER!!!
He took out both RBRs, masive help for HAM and Mercedes in the titles fight.
medman (@medman)
1st August 2021, 17:10
@mg1982
+8!!!!
Velocityboy (@velocityboy)
1st August 2021, 16:18
A silly mistake and an appropriate penalty. A crash like that is usually caused by a rookie further down the order. Not a good look for Bottas.
Ipsom
1st August 2021, 16:19
And stroll??
x303 (@x303)
1st August 2021, 16:33
Stroll got the same treatment from the stewards: link
TurboBT
1st August 2021, 16:22
So many salty people here, grow up.
Blaize Falconberger (@)
1st August 2021, 23:05
+1
stjs16 (@stjs16)
1st August 2021, 16:22
If He did get a race ban could George have stepped in?
Tommy C (@tommy-c)
1st August 2021, 16:25
Hard to disagree with that! Still worked out alright for Mercedes…
Cristian Ingles (@doctorlovesexy)
1st August 2021, 16:27
Deserved penalty but, what about Stroll?? If he doesn’t ram Leclerc, Charles will probably be in Ocon’s place. He was in the inside of turn 1 far from Bottas havoc and just in front of Ocon.
Miltiadis (@miltosgreekfan)
1st August 2021, 16:33
That was really horrible by Bottas, someone who is usually a clean driver. A 5 grid drop might not be enough for what he did but a race ban would be too harsh.
Will Jones
1st August 2021, 18:10
I don’t think it was dirty – usually (Post silverstone “discussions”, notwithstanding) dirty means deliberate fouling, while mistakes don’t get you painted as such
Miltiadis (@miltosgreekfan)
1st August 2021, 19:25
Yeah I don’t consider this dirty as well, just an extremely clumsy incident that ruined a lot of drivers races
Illusive (@illusive)
1st August 2021, 16:38
Nice job Valteri, your fault but nice job – Toto wolf
Gigantor (@kbdavies)
1st August 2021, 16:48
The comments here really show why a lot of people are mere commentators regarding F1 issues, rather than drivers, engineers, team principals, or anyone else worth anything in Formula 1.
Keep it up, guys!
d0senbrot (@d0senbrot)
1st August 2021, 17:07
Well, sometimes it doesn’t take an expert to put one and one together. Just like sometimes it doesn’t take a psychologist to spot a moralist on a high horse.
Will Jones
1st August 2021, 18:12
But people seem to be adding 1+1 and claiming that the answer to this sum is that the world is flat and we need to buy a lot more tin foil.
Witan
1st August 2021, 16:49
It was clumsy of Bottas misguiding his speed after a poor start where his main job waste keep Verstappen behind him and he failed. His penalty is rather harsh, though, if the stewards do NOT take account of the consequences.
But his real punishment is that his stock has slipped further in the race for that seat while Russell might have come in behind his team mate by the luck of the draw but he said Latifi should be given priority if it were necessary to do so because he was in front. That is a team player.
Tifoso1989 (@tifoso1989)
1st August 2021, 16:58
A 5 place grid penalty is a joke. Bottas took out Norris, Perez and Verstappen the championship leader with a reckless move. He tried too hard to save his position after a bad start. I would say a start from the back of the grid would be appropriate in normal circumstances.
However, lately the F1 drivers for whatever reason seems to be unable to complete a single first lap without crashing. A race ban would be appropriate so the next time they will all learn how to judge the breaking point and make it into the first corner. At the moment the FIA is too lenient and the drivers seems to be OK with the 5s/10s penalties.
neiana
1st August 2021, 19:08
@tifoso1989
I see you haven’t watched anything before 2010.
Tifoso1989 (@tifoso1989)
1st August 2021, 19:29
I see that you have won the meaningless comment of the year award, Captain obvious !
Mayrton
1st August 2021, 17:07
Well, that seems harsh for a first lap incident
NewVerstappenFan (@jureo)
1st August 2021, 17:08
Two races in a row, Mercedes bump RedBull off the track… Growing trend.
Max could be leading by 50+ Instead Mercedes are going with a lead, faster car, in to the second part of a season while Lewis usually is stronger after midseason break.
roadrunner (@roadrunner)
1st August 2021, 18:40
Interesting tactics?
Blaize Falconberger (@)
1st August 2021, 23:07
He bumped a Mclaren. The Mclaren then hit the Red Bull.
Nimba (@nimba)
2nd August 2021, 22:37
Further helping his championship position against Norris and Perez
ian dearing
1st August 2021, 17:21
Jeez. Four more called to the stewards. Inc Seb for wearing the T shirt during the national anthem. And I know how some of you feel strongly against drivers who wear a non regulation t-shirt.
Lancer033 (@lancer033)
1st August 2021, 18:05
So much for how F1 wanted people to be aggressive and race each other and didn’t want to give out penalties for minor 1st lap incidents. It’s almost comical to watch people complain about getting exactly what they demanded only a couple years ago.
Will Jones
1st August 2021, 18:14
No, you don’t understand, they want the old rules for drivers they don’t like and the new rules for drivers they like!
neiana
1st August 2021, 19:10
@lancer033 hefty difference between an accidental disappearing of space when the whole field is going from 4 wide to 2 (let it go, bro) and Bottas driving straight into the back of Norris when he locks up a whopping 2 feet before slamming the aforementioned into his teammate’s #1 rival
Blaize Falconberger (@)
1st August 2021, 23:12
Do you lot genually think it was a calculated, deliberate act?
Conspiracy theories are for people who lack the capacity to think, or are too lazy to try…
Nimba (@nimba)
2nd August 2021, 22:49
Or for those who haven’t been watching despair from Toto Wolff this season, and those who have no idea what a sell out soul Bottas has become, or for those who haven’t been following F1 for the past couple of years.