Portuguese GP: Lewis Hamilton’s Car Setup helped him outperform Valtteri Bottas

Lewis Hamilton seemed unstoppable in the Portuguese Grand Prix. Although his teammate Valtteri Bottas did get the better of him in qualifying, yet the British driver ensured he remains at the top of driver’s standing. Bottas did struggle with an exhaust sensor issue in his car that hindered him from charging onto the Red Bull ahead. 

Even after that, Bottas ended up minimizing the damage by going for the fastest lap point. But even before the sensor issue, he was struggling for grip and pace, lapping considerably slower than his teammate. Meanwhile for the second time in Portugal, Lewis Hamilton won the race with a lead over 25 seconds to the second-placed driver. 

What caused Valtteri Bottas to be slower than Lewis Hamilton?

Motorsport claims that both the Mercedes drivers were running with a different rear-wing setup. While Bottas’ setup was much lighter in weight, Hamilton was driving with a rather heavy rear wing. 

Lewis Hamilton’s car had the double support pylon of the wing, and the central V around the flap was missing as well. Meanwhile, Va;tteri Bottas ran with the usual configuration, with less vertical thrust. 

Hence, the 7-time World Champion struggled to beat Valtteri Bottas to pole during the qualifying session, considering the substantial difference in weight. However, the heavier setup turned out to be a boon after all for the championship leader. 

During the race, as crosswinds strengthened, Bottas started struggling for rear stability while his teammate embraced the recent rear-wing configuration to the fullest. 

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