Mercedes has decided to start Valtteri Bottas from the bottom of the grid in Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix.
With nine rounds left in the season, Mercedes was debating whether or not to add a fourth engine for the 2021 season.
Deciding not to do so would save on an engine penalty, but increased the risk of a potentially even more costly engine failure using an old power unit.
Mercedes has determined that the Italian Grand Prix at Monza is the best time for a new engine for Bottas, who will receive his fourth new engine of the 2021 season.
Nonetheless, the decision was made as a result of the team’s “little bit of worry.”
“We had a little bit of a worry, because we wouldn’t have taken it otherwise,” Mercedes boss Toto Wolff told Sky F1.
“With the sprint race format it is quite good as we only have to take the penalty for Sunday.”
This means that the Finn will start at the rear of the grid for Sunday’s race, which might be a difficult situation for Mercedes to deal with in their Constructors’ Championship battle with Red Bull.
Bottas, who snatched P1 from teammate Lewis Hamilton on his final flying lap of Q3, will lead the pack away for sprint qualifying at Monza.
Speaking to Sky F1’s Paul di Resta after qualifying, Bottas branded that lap “very satisfying”.
“It felt nice, you know what it feels like when you manage to make a good qualifying lap,” he added.
“And especially in Q3, so nice to put it all together and it is really satisfying.”
“I made it very clear, if we want to get a front-row lockout, we all will need a tow,” Bottas said when asked if it was always his plan to try to acquire a tow on his second Q3 flying lap.
“And luckily we found one in the end.”
While Bottas will, of course, begin at the end of the race, the winner of Saturday’s sprint qualifying will receive three points, with P2 receiving two and P3 receiving one.
As a result, Bottas has set his sights on creating a gap in front of the goal and storming his way to an extra three points, though acknowledging the importance of playing as a team.
“I think we need to get the maximum points as a team or course, that’s important,” he said.
“But let’s see how it goes, we need to really go by situation, and my aim of course personally is to get a good start and build a gap, that is the goal for me.”
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