Valtteri Bottas secures victory for Team Mercedes at 2019 Australian Grand Prix

Photo Credit: Australian Grand Prix

Last season ended in a tough and emotionally grueling way for 29 year old Finnish Formula One driver for Team Mercedes-Benz, Valtteri Bottas. In the final contest of the 2018 Formula One Season, the Russian Grand Prix, Bottas was forced to allow his teammate Lewis Hamilton to secure a certain victory.

A team player, Bottas agreed, but the decision wore heavily on him in the months after the race season was complete. As a result, his victory in the 2019 Australian Grand Prix may just have been the sweet redemption Bottas as well as his team needed to start the 2019 season with the right mental attitude.

Held in Melbourne, Australia on March 17th, the 2019 Australian Grand Prix was a moment of triumph for Team Mercedes. In the run-up to the race, it seemed as if the team owned by Stuttgart, Germany’s Daimler AG might not be able to best their perennial Italian rivals, Team Ferrari.

Despite running pre-race lap times that seemed to place them behind Ferrari, come race day, both Valtteri Bottas and his team mate Lewis Hamilton were able to bring their best stuff finishing the race in the first and second slots respectively.

Hamilton was unable to push his pace in the race’s final laps due to damage to his car which occurred earlier in the race around lap 4. Despite this, it was the right time and the right place for Bottas who flippantly declared: “To those it may concern: F*** You.” after his victory and during his victory lap.

Team Mercedes has vowed not to get in the way of its drivers this season in hopes that the spirit of competition can carry the team to top podium slots in the 2019 Formula One World Championship.

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands rounded out the podium for the 2019 Australian Grand Prix. The 21 year old driver for Team Red Bull-Honda formerly made headlines as the youngest Formula One driver of all time back in 2015 when he made his racing debut.

Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc would secure the 4th and 5th slots respectively. Vettel would finish a full minute behind winner Bottas though he had been in the 3rd slot for most of the race.

Verstappen of Red Bull-Honda was able to lockdown his podium appearance thanks to a late infusion of fresh tires which gave him the agility he needed to make it past Vettel late in the Grand Prix.

Honda is a clear winner from this year’s Australian Grand Prix. Since returning to Formula One as the engine supplier for Red Bull in 2014, this marks the first time the team has been able to claim a place on a World Championship podium.

For winner Bottas, the Australian Grand Prix represents a fourth career victory and a first since Abu Dhabi back in 2017.

Held annually since 1928, the Australian Grand Prix has been held at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit since 1996. The race is currently sponsored by Swiss Watchmaker Rolex and winners receive both the Jack Brabham and Lex Davison trophies named in honor of legendary race car drivers in Australian history.