(Reuters) – Valtteri Bottas’s Formula One title chances took a huge hit on Sunday when the Mercedes driver suffered his first retirement of the season in the Eifel Grand Prix at the Nuerburgring.
The Finn, second in the standings, had won the previous race in Russia to cut team mate and six-times world champion Lewis Hamilton’s overall lead to 44 points.
He started on pole position on Sunday and stayed in front until he locked up on lap 13 and ran wide at turn one with Hamilton, chasing a record-equalling 91st career win, able to close the gap and overtake.
Bottas then reported a loss of power on lap 17, lost pace and was retired by the team when he returned to the pits.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Christian Radnedge)
