Bottas "all okay" after trip to medical centre following heavy Q3 crash in Mexico; Mercedes hopeful of avoiding grid penalty
Sunday 27 October 2019 21:10, UK
Mercedes are assessing the "extensive damage" to Valtteri Bottas' car which was sustained in the Finn's big crash at the end of Mexican GP qualifying.
But the world champions are hopeful of avoiding the need for Bottas to take a grid penalty in Sunday's race.
Pushing to improve on a provisional sixth on the grid on his final Q3 run, Bottas ran wide at the final corner and smashed into the wall, with his car then making a second hefty impact with the Tecpro barriers further along the corner.
Bottas was taken to the circuit's medical centre for checks and Mercedes confirmed the Finn was "all okay".
Mercedes are now working to understand the full extent of the damage to his W10.
"The car is extensively damaged, we are assessing exactly what work needs to be completed for it to be ready to race," said a Mercedes spokesperson.
Bottas said: "I knew that I had to risk it in the last run of Q3 to gain positions, so I tried to squeeze everything out of the car. The lap was good until the last corner where I went a bit wide on the exit on the dusty part of the track and that's where I lost it and hit the wall.
"I'm all okay, but I've unfortunately given the boys in the garage some extra work to do tonight. Hopefully we can avoid taking any penalties."
Were certain changes required to the car, such as a new gearbox or chassis, Bottas could theoretically pick up grid penalties for Sunday's race.
He remains team-mate Lewis Hamilton's only remaining title challenger and will stay in contention heading to next week's US GP provided he is not outscored by his team-mate by 14 points on Sunday.
Hamilton qualified fourth, with Bottas sixth - although Hamilton will start third thanks to Max Verstappen's penalty.
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