Bottas should have 'at least put pressure' on Hamilton - Palmer

Jolyon Palmer says that Valtteri Bottas' reluctance to keep his foot down at the first corner of Sunday's British GP while running side-by-side with Lewis Hamilton was a typical missed opportunity for the Finn.

Hamilton had a slow start off the line from pole and as the reigning world champion and Bottas head into Abbey corner side by side, the Finn appeared to ease off and give way to the #44 Mercedes.

Palmer says Bottas' reluctance to fight for the lead at that exact point was a missed opportunity for the Finn, but also somewhat typified his attitude when racing wheel-to-wheel with Hamilton.

"Obviously he was unlucky, and the World Championship gap should be 12 points and not 30 but I do still feel Bottas’ whole race epitomised Bottas quite a lot," commented Palmer on the BBC5's Live Chequered Flag podcast.

"It’s tough because we are comparing him against one of the greats, maybe the greatest ever.

"But he had the best start. He was alongside Hamilton and he blended out of the throttle at Turn 1. No! Keep your foot in!

"That’s your chance to win the Grand Prix right there and he got out of the throttle.

"Maybe Bottas has a big slide and there is an explanation for it but from the outside he is fully alongside Hamilton and he has got to keep his foot there.

"He has earned the right to be alongside in what is a flat-out corner and he could have least made Hamilton defend at Turn 3 and put pressure on him.

"The race could change in that instant but, again, if he doesn’t beat Hamilton out of the first corner, he won’t beat him."

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Palmer also singled out Bottas' lack of aggression on the Safety Car restarts

"And then the Safety Car restarts, he never pressurised Hamilton and Hamilton just cruised them," added the former Renault F1 driver.

"Even after the first one which was really bad for Bottas, you think he would be more prepared and yet he just did the same thing again.

"Well it was a bit better, but he put Hamilton under no pressure still when he could have done. That could have been an area to pass him.

"Then he has his puncture. His pace in the race was pretty solid until he started having the vibrations and dropped back."

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