Not Carlos Sainz, F1 Director Ross Brawn Feels This Driver Deserved Driver of the Day Award at Turkish GP

The recent Turkish Grand Prix wasn’t one of the most exciting races that we have had so far, except it changed the balance in the title race. However, even though the race was less eventful than the ones we have had.; one of the talking points was Carlos Sainz’s driver in Istanbul.

The Spanish driver was starting nineteenth on the grid after receiving a grid penalty. As the race came to a close, Sainz found himself in eighth place and having won driver of the day.

However, not all are on the same page as the F1 community, as managing director Ross Brawn feels that Valtteri Bottas should be considered for DotD.

Brawn feels that the F1 community voted for the wrong driver in Istanbul

One of the most interactive things about F1 is the option to vote for DotD. However, there can be a divide within the community when it comes to choosing their candidate. Hence, Brawn feels that Sainz shouldn’t have won the award; instead, he feels it should go to the Finn.

In his blog, Brawn wrote, “There were several good drives out there, including Carlos Sainz’s brilliant recovery drive from the back to score points, but my Driver of the Day goes to Valtteri Bottas. He did not put a foot wrong in very difficult conditions. Mercedes had a very good car, but he made the most of it – and never allowed a threat from behind.”

“He’s the outgoing member of the team and in this scenario, it is easy to drop your chin, but he kept his up and I think he did a brilliant job. We all know Max is supreme in those wet conditions, but he couldn’t touch Valtteri. He showed us that if Alfa can give him the car next year, he’ll respond and make the most of it,” Brawn explained.

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A day to remember for the Mercedes driver

The Finn was in fine form through the Grand Prix weekend. In the qualifying session, Bottas was the second-fastest, only being beaten by his teammate, Lewis Hamilton. However, the Knight had received a 10-place grid penalty, which meant Bottas would be leading the pack of drivers.

Bottas managed to handle the pressure put on by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to grab a win for the Silver Arrows. Their victory in Istanbul still sees them leading the constructor’s championship.

Now, with the upcoming United States Grand Prix, Mercedes hope to claim victory once again, and further extend their lead in the title race.

Read More: Valtteri Bottas Becomes Joint-Leader of an Unflattering F1 List Despite Turkish GP Win