Seated 3rd on the grid for the 53 Japanese Grand Prix took control from a very good start.
With Ferrari on pole Seb Vettel did not have the ideal start from a roll forward then pause then pounce on the lights-out.
Mercedes had their lead man on a one stopper as Bottas was concerned being on a two stop strategy would his team mate pass him on fresher tyres. Not to be in the race result.
Drivers of the day were Alex Albon in 4th and Daniel Ricciardo in 7th. The Aussie has a canny way of getting his car into the points whether its a clash or just a tough machine to handle.
Next race is Mexico October 25.
POS | NO | DRIVER | CAR | LAPS | TIME/RETIRED | PTS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 77 | Valtteri Bottas | MERCEDES | 52 | 1:21:46.755 | 25 |
2 | 5 | Sebastian Vettel | FERRARI | 52 | +13.343s | 18 |
3 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | MERCEDES | 52 | +13.858s | 16 |
4 | 23 | Alexander Albon | RED BULL RACING HONDA | 52 | +59.537s | 12 |
5 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | MCLAREN RENAULT | 52 | +69.101s | 10 |
6 | 3 | Daniel Ricciardo | RENAULT | 51 | +1 lap | 8 |
7 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | FERRARI | 51 | +1 lap | 6 |
8 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO HONDA | 51 | +1 lap | 4 |
9 | 11 | Sergio Perez | RACING POINT BWT MERCEDES | 51 | +1 lap | 2 |
10 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | RENAULT | 51 | +1 lap | 1 |
11 | 18 | Lance Stroll | RACING POINT BWT MERCEDES | 51 | +1 lap | 0 |
12 | 26 | Daniil Kvyat | SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO HONDA | 51 | +1 lap | 0 |
13 | 4 | Lando Norris | MCLAREN RENAULT | 51 | +1 lap | 0 |
14 | 7 | Kimi Räikkönen | ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI | 51 | +1 lap | 0 |
15 | 8 | Romain Grosjean | HAAS FERRARI | 51 | +1 lap | 0 |
16 | 99 | Antonio Giovinazzi | ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI | 51 | +1 lap | 0 |
17 | 20 | Kevin Magnussen | HAAS FERRARI | 51 | +1 lap | 0 |
18 | 63 | George Russell | WILLIAMS MERCEDES | 50 | +2 laps | 0 |
19 | 88 | Robert Kubica | WILLIAMS MERCEDES | 50 | +2 laps | 0 |
NC | 33 | Max Verstappen | RED BULL RACING HONDA | 14 | DNF | 0 |
Note – The classifications of Ricciardo and Hulkenberg are provisional subject to the outcome of a protest initiated by Racing Point. Leclerc received a 5-second and a 10-second post-race penalty for causing a collision and then driving his car in an unsafe condition. Hamilton scored an additional point for setting the fastest lap of the race.