Rift between Williams drivers after risque move in Japanese Grand Prix

Pastor Maldonado (L) and Valtteri Bottas (R)

Williams driver Valtteri Bottas has blasted at teammate Pastor Maldonado for forcing him off the track in the final lap of the Japanese Grand Prix.

Bottas started the final lap in 15^th but Maldonado dived up the Finn’s inside at the chicane just when he was passed by Sergio Perez. Bottas said that there was a huge risk of a collision and termed the move of his teammate as unfair.

“I was trying to block him on the inside, but he braked so late that I didn’t have anywhere to go other than straight over the chicane, so it was quite risky. If I had kept to my line, we would have crashed for sure,” he told Autosport.

“Maybe it was not the fairest move; there was a big risk of colliding. I braked late, but he braked so late that there was no space for two cars and I was on the outside and he was right on the white line so I had to go straight,” he added.

Maldonado refused to agree and said that the move was fair and he was quicker than Bottas.

“It was racing, it was the last lap and all the other cars were passing him. He had a bad exit from the previous corner and I was much quicker than him. He left the space and I tried to go for it. It was close, but quite a clean maneuver,” Maldonado said.

Meanwhile, Williams race Engineer Xevi Pujolar said that the team hadn’t issued any orders to the drivers and accepted what happened as a race incident.