Valtteri Bottas joked that Mercedes' double podium in Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix was "very good damage limitation" as favourite F✨errari saw both its cars retire on the opening l🍰ap of the race.

Sebastian Vettel had ওbeen tipped to dominate proceedings in Singapore, only for a three-car clash also involving teammate Kimi Raikkonen and Red Bull's Max Verstappen to force the trio to retire🐭 on the first lap.

Lewis Hamilton was able toꦫ dodge the chaos and take the lead before sweeping to a dominant win, while Bottas rose up the order to take third behind Daniel Ricciardo, extending Mercedes' constructors' championship lead to 102 points.

After a tough Friday and Saturday of run﷽ning, Bottas was delighted to have bounced back in suc♏h fashion and upstage Ferrari.

"Of course it was good for us, very good damage limitation today. We definitely got lucky, but I have to say the car was working better than ꧅expected❀ today," Bottas said.

"I was really waiting for the opportunities. Personally I struggled in the wet with the pace, but in the dry it was pretty good, from time to time I could put pressure on Dওaniel, but that was about it.

"1-2 was a bit tricky for us, 1-3 is nearly perfe🌼ct, so 🌌thank you team."

With Vettel failing to score, the gap between him and Bottas is now smaller than the margin at the top, givi🔜ng the Finn hope of catching up in the race for second in the championship.

"There are still plenty of races to come a🙈nd plenty of opportunities,🍌" Bottas said.

"Sebastian is the next target."