Valtteri Bottas spent a rather isolated and trouble-free afternoon at Interlagos, finishing the Brazilian Grand Prix in 5th place.
The Williams driver enjoyed a blistering start when the lights went out, launching himself from 7th before rapidly getting the measure of Nico Hulkenberg and Daniil Kvyat into Turn 1. Thereafter, the Finn's race was spent in solitary confinement in 5th position.
"The start was good," he said. "I managed to gain a couple of important positions, because it would have been difficult to get through the Red Bull and the Force India, because overtaking is not that easy in this track.
"After that good start I had quite a lonely race, to be honest. There wasn’t much happening for me today. I was trying to manage the tyres, trying to make the two-stops strategy work and that was it."
While the race was perhaps a tad boring by his own account, Bottas' performance was still eventful as it helped Williams secure third place in the Constructors' championship, a feat he much appreciates and which was accomplished in spite of Felipe Massa's post-race exclusion from the event.
"It means a lot, because it’s nice to secure the place. It’s the same as last year, so I’m proud that with such a small team we can fight with the big teams.
"That’s good but we all want more. We need to say thank you to people in the race team and at the factory for all the hard work done, but also to Mercedes for their engines. Without them we couldn’t do this, but we are a team that wants to win, so we want more."
Bottas will now go into the season's finale at Abu Dhabi just one point ahead of fellow countryman and nemesis Kimi Raikkonen, a fact which may entail more fireworks between the two drivers.
"It’s going to be close in Abu Dhabi, because whoever finishes in front of the other will get fourth place in the championship. So it’s going to be an exciting race for sure."
REPORT: Rosberg keeps Hamilton at bay to win in Brazil
AS IT HAPPENED: Brazilian Grand Prix
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