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Bottas, Verstappen, Portugal

Mercedes must learn from Bottas "stupid moment" fastest lap call - Wolff

Bottas, Verstappen, Portugal — Photo: © LAT Images

Mercedes must learn from Bottas "stupid moment" fastest lap call - Wolff

Mercedes is to review is strategy processes

Toto Wolff has called for Mercedes to learn from the "stupid moment" it made with regard to Valtteri Bottas' fastest lap bid in the Portuguese Grand Prix.

With the top three of Lewis Hamilton, Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Bottas set over the closing stages - barring any unforeseen circumstances - Mercedes opted to call in the Finn after 63 laps of the 66-lap event to try and set the fastest lap.

That, however, opened the window for Red Bull to gamble and summon Verstappen a lap later.

Bottas duly set the fastest time on lap 65, only for Verstappen to beat his mark on the final lap and seemingly gain a crucial point in his title fight with Hamilton.

Fortunately for Mercedes, Verstappen was penalised for exceeding track limits at turn 14, ensuring Bottas was handed the extra point.

Reflecting on what unfolded and the poor strategy call, Wolff said: "We had a little bit of a stupid moment. It should have been the next lap but learn and move on.”

Trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin has confirmed the team will review the situation going forward to ensure there is no repeat.

Confirming that Bottas had been able to pull enough time on fourth-placed Perez that afforded the team "a free stop to go for fastest lap", Shovlin added: "We'll review the timing of our call.

"We opened the window for Red Bull to also have a go and had it not been for Max's mistake at T14, we'd have lost a valuable point to them."

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