Valtteri Bottas couldn’t explain why Alfa Romeo Sauber displayed strong pace during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix last weekend only to fall back in the race.
Zhou Guanyu qualified a career-best fifth at the Hungaroring while Bottas was only two places further back for the start of Sunday’s race.
At the end of 70 laps, however, the Finn was the best-placed of the pair in just 12th place.
“It’s disappointing, starting from such a good position,” Bottas said.
“Unfortunately, Zhou had an issue at the start, so I had to go around him, lost some momentum, but then also all the cars who had soft tyres, they were just flying on lap one.
“Even after that, I never really felt like I had the pace to try and make up any places.
“[In qualifying] we definitely had better pace relative to others.”
As from jinking around Zhou off the line, Bottas was also bullied aside by Lance Stroll midway around the opening lap.
It left the Alfa Romeo Sauber driver just 12th, rising to 10th during the pit stop cycle but never contending for a points finish.
“Somehow, one a single lap, it’s working, but as soon as the tyres start to drop in the race, then we start to slide and slide more,” Bottas explained of the dilemma he faced on Sunday.
“I feel like it’s more track specific,” he added when asked by Speedcafe if it’s a trend he’d seen at other venues.
“I think really, on this track, our car is quite decent but still then in the race, when it really comes to efficiency and whose got the best aero, who’s got more downforce, that it’s going to help with the tyres are degrading.”
Following his slow getaway, blamed on a start line glitch in the Sauber, Zhou nosed into the back of Daniel Ricciardo to trigger a four-car incident that eliminated both Alpines from the race.
Officials handed Zhou a five-second penalty for the clash, served at his first stop.
He took the chequered flag last but one, ahead only of Kevin Magnussen on the track.
Alfa Romeo Sauber heads to the Belgian Grand Prix this weekend with a revised livery, sporting green highlights courtesy of streaming partner Kick.
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