Alfa Romeo has "upper hand" over Alpine - Valtteri Bottas

Alfa Romeo

Alfa Romeo has "upper hand" over Alpine - Bottas

Bottas was challenging Alpine before he retired

Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale

Wednesday 30 March 2022 15:40

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Valtteri Bottas believes Alfa Romeo has the "upper hand" over Alpine in F1's condensed midfield.

The Finn retired from the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix having shown impressive pace to get ahead of Esteban Ocon and challenge Fernando Alonso for what was sixth position at the time.

Bottas joined Alfa Romeo to help push the team up the grid from ninth in the constructors' standings and after scoring eight points in the first race, the former Mercedes driver found the positives from his short-lived charge in Jeddah.

“I think we had a good race until [the retirement]," said Bottas.

"I was battling with Fernando and he also retired in the end.

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“I think I was fighting for P6 so the car is okay. If anything, maybe we had a slight upper hand to Alpine, that was the feeling, so not bad.”

Bottas was given the opportunity to battle the A522s after Alonso and Ocon thrillingly battled each other in the opening stages of the race.

On having a front-row seat to watch the Alpine team-mate's fighting, Bottas added: “It was good to see team-mates battling and being allowed to battle, that is the main thing, so I didn’t mind.

“At least in the beginning of the season it is nice to see people going properly wheel to wheel.”