F1: Bottas apologizes for first-corner pile-up

Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas has accepted full responsibility for a mistake under braking that sparked carnage at the opening corner of the Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix.

Bottas was remorseful in reflecting on the incident.

“I had a poor start with lots of wheelspin off the line, lost a couple of places and then into Turn 1, I was right on the gearbox of Lando and locked the wheels,” he said.

“I misjudged the braking point – it’s always difficult starting a race in those conditions, you’re always ‘guesstimating’ grip levels, and today I got it wrong.

“I’ve spoken to Lando and Sergio to apologize, it was my bad today, and sometimes you have to hold your hands up.”