Bottas concedes "everything went wrong" after nightmare title defeat
Disappointed Finn insists he will "try to beat him next year"
Valtteri Bottas has conceded "everything went wrong" after finishing 14th and watching his title challenge fizzle out.
While Hamilton secured a record-equalling seventh world title in style with victory in a chaotic, rain-hit Turkish Grand Prix, Bottas endured a torrid afternoon.
In order to keep his slim title hopes alive, the Finn needed to outscore Hamilton by eight-points, but while Hamilton gradually rose through the order, Bottas failed to recover from a pair of first lap spins, and enduring six overall.
“The first lap, everything went wrong,” said Bottas. “I was avoiding a spin in the first corner and I spun as well and then I had a contact in turn nine and the car was not the same any more
“I struggled to stay on track. There was a piece missing from the front wing, and it was survival. Not good.”
In total, Bottas went off track or spun his Mercedes four times during the Istanbul race as he ended the day 14th and a lap down on his championship winning team-mate.
As frustrated as he was with his own day, however, Bottas showed his class as a sportsman and was gracious in defeat.
A dejected Bottas said: “He [Hamilton] deserves it fully. He was better of us this year overall, on average, and he fully deserves this. But I will try to beat him next year.”
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