Valtteri Bottas was left with little to say after a major defeat to teammate Lewis Hamilton at the French Grand Prix.
The Mercedes driver saw the gap in the standings grow to 36 points between himself and the Briton as he finished 18 seconds behind in P2.
That position also came under a late threat as Charles Leclerc closed in under a Virtual Safety Car and challenged on the final lap.
But it was the difference to Hamilton which most worried Valtteri.
“Not that much happening from my side,” he said. “The start was the best bet for me, but Lewis had a good start as well.
“Ultimately Lewis was quicker today. I couldn’t really match his pace so that is something for me to look at before the next one.
“But I’m proud of the team and myself. It’s just important to understand what I can do better for next time.”
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What is most frustrating for Bottas is during practice and even early qualifying sessions he has had the edge on Hamilton in performance.
But as many have found out before him, the five-time champion always has a way to get the job done.
“He was really strong and consistent today and also yesterday in qualifying, but he’s not unbeatable,” Bottas claimed.
“I know that so I just need to work hard.”
