Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen has defended his attempt at overtaking Williams rival Valtteri Bottas on the final lap of the Russian Grand Prix, which left the younger Finn in the barriers. The pair were contesting third position when Raikkonen dived up the inside of Bottas into Turn 4 in an attempt to wrestle the podium spot away from the Williams driver. Raikkonen and Bottas collided, with the latter being spun into the wall as Raikkonen continued with damage and slipped to fifth. Stewards later deemed […]

Valtteri Bottas cut a frustrated figure after he was eliminated from the Russian Grand Prix on the final lap of the race. Bottas had overtaken Force India's Sergio Perez for the podium position a lap beforehand and he was followed through by Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen. Raikkonen tried to pass Bottas at Turn 4 but the pair collided, with Bottas being pitched into the barriers. "From my seat I was starting the last lap in third place," he said. "I just got past Perez and then […]

Felipe Massa accepted responsibility after he exited qualifying for the Russian Grand Prix during the second knockout segment. Williams had been among the frontrunners but Massa could manage only the 15th fastest time during Q2 and will start the race from that position on Sunday. "I made a mistake at turn eight in my first timed lap in Q2, and then in my final two attempts I came up against a lot of traffic which lost me a lot of time," he said. "On my […]

Valtteri Bottas is hopeful that Williams can convert its form at the Russian Grand Prix last year into a repeat showing when the fraternity returns to the Sochi Autodrom this weekend. Bottas challenged for pole position at the inaugural event before settling for third on the grid, going on to cruise to a podium finish. Bottas has climbed onto the rostrum only once this season but is hopeful that the FW37 will perform strongly around the semi-permanent street circuit. "We had a good result last […]

Valtteri Bottas says Williams must target a podium finish at the Japanese Grand Prix after he set the third fastest time during Saturday's qualifying session. Bottas was third best at Suzuka, behind only Mercedes pair Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, and is hoping that he can climb onto the podium for the second time in 2015. "I’m really happy to be third again in Suzuka," he said, having started the 2014 race from the same position. "It has been a good day. "We made some […]

Williams driver Valtteri Bottas says he has been left dissatisfied by his 2015 results, as the flyaway leg of the Formula 1 season begins in Singapore this weekend. Bottas scored six podiums on his way to fourth place in the 2014 standings but this season has stepped onto the rostrum just once - in Canada - and sits in sixth position in the championship. "Well I have to say I’m not really that pleased for the results," he explained. "Of course we aim to make […]

Felipe Massa was delighted as he collected his second podium of the season at the Italian Grand Prix. Massa repeated his third position which he achieved in the 2014 race as he stood on the podium in front of Ferrari's fans, having driven for the team between 2006 and 2013. "It's really emotional to have been on the podium," he said. It was a difficult but fantastic race, I didn't have the best start but I was still able to pass cars so it was […]

Williams driver Valtteri Bottas conceded that Ferrari was out of reach after the team locked out the third row of the grid at the Italian Grand Prix. Bottas set the sixth fastest time during Saturday's qualifying, two-tenths behind team-mate Felipe Massa, who finished on the podium at Monza in 2014. "It wasn’t a perfect qualifying as I didn’t get a great slipstream in the final lap," said Bottas. "I think fifth and sixth was the maximum as the Ferraris were just a bit out reach. […]

Williams founder Sir Frank Williams says that retaining Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas for a further season provides the outfit with stability. Williams will keep the same line-up for a third successive campaign, the first time it has done so since Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher raced for the team between 2001 and 2004. "Stability is key for any team to thrive in Formula 1, so to be able to enter a third season with one of the strongest driver line-ups on the grid […]

Williams has confirmed that it will retain both Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa for the 2016 season. Bottas made his Formula 1 debut with Williams in 2013 and will remain with the squad for a fourth successive campaign. Massa joined Williams at the start of 2014 after a decade associated with Ferrari and will also be kept on for what will be his 14th year in the sport. "I am really pleased to be staying with the team for a fourth F1 race season," said […]

Valtteri Bottas says that Williams must avoid making the kind of errors which cost him a haul of points during last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix. Bottas qualified in third place at Spa-Francorchamps but Williams fitted one Prime tyre among three Option tyres when he came in for his first pit stop. Bottas was handed a drive through penalty for the error, ending his chances of claiming a top five finish. "Monza is a track that should really suit our car," he said in his post-race […]

Williams has apologised to Valtteri Bottas after an unusual tyre mix-up resulted in the Finn being handed a drive through penalty during the Belgian Grand Prix. Williams erroneously fitted one Prime tyre and three Option tyres to Bottas' car during his first stop, leading to a drive through penalty, which dropped him down the order. "I am clearly disappointed with what has happened to Valtteri," said head of vehicle performance Rob Smedley. "As a team we have made a mistake, and on behalf of the […]