Cross-alliance
The duel for victory in the Belgian GP, which saw Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc pitted against each other, was spectacular and intense. The Monegasque driver benefited from the Virtual Safety Car’s entry before his pit stop and thus managed to overtake the Italian Mercedes driver, who then had to regain the first position on track, attacking and overtaking Ferrari #16 during the 34th lap. However, some, already during the live broadcast of the race, noticed how Antonelli received a small help from his former Mercedes teammate (in the role of test driver) Valtteri Bottas.
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Indeed, in the final phase of the lap preceding the overtake, the Finn was lapped by both Leclerc and Antonelli, but unintentionally slowed down the Ferrari driver’s race, who found him in front first and lost more than a few tenths. Leclerc was unlucky because he reached Bottas’ Cadillac in the most winding section of the track, between Pouhon and Stavelot, only managing to complete the overtake at the beginning of the straight towards Blanchimont. Bottas, despite not moving immediately to let the race leader pass, was not penalized because he respected the blue flag rule, but at the end of the race he admitted to being caught a bit off guard by the sudden approach of the Leclerc-Antonelli duo behind him.
A dinner for Valtteri
“The speed at which they were approaching was so high that it really caught me by surprise – admitted Bottas, chatting with journalists present at Spa, before asking in turn if his role had really been so crucial – so, I don’t know, did it make a difference [my lapping]? Did he overtake him right after?“.
Once confirmation was received that Antonelli’s overtake on Leclerc indeed happened on the lap after being lapped, Bottas joked about the situation: “Yes? Oh, okay. Then Kimi can buy me dinner! No, just kidding – the Finn then clarified – it was precisely the speed at which they were approaching that really caught me off guard“.
