F1 Gold | From last to second: Bottas passes Stroll for 2nd place after epic Baku fightback

2017 was Valtteri Bottas' first season with the Mercedes-AMG team. Having joined the Silver Arrows on the back of Nico Rosberg's shock retirement after winning the 2016 championship, Bottas was tasked with helping the team retain the dominant run they've enjoyed unopposed since 2014.

The Finn's first year with the team went as expected - as Lewis Hamilton's wingman - but there were several moments of brilliance where he had the chance and opportunity to show what he could do. And the inaugural Azerbaijan Grand Prix was one of those.

Bottas kept second place behind polesitter and teammate Hamilton when the race got underway. But behind them, Kimi Raikkonen managed a pass on Ferrari teammate Sebastian Vettel and set about chasing Bottas. But the two Finnish drivers made contact going into Turn 2, with Bottas coming away with a punctured right front tyre. Pitting at the end of the opening lap, he rejoined the race in last place and began one of the best comebacks of his Formula 1 career.

Last to second

Seated in the benchmark car of the turbo-hybrid era, Bottas had an opportunity to show what he can do in Baku. His back was against the wall. He had nothing to lose in trying to make up positions. And if he wanted to divert any comments of being in Hamilton's shadow as a Mercedes man, this would be the day to do it.

Mercedes fitted a new set of tyres to Bottas' car and sent him out on his way. Running in 19th place after Jolyon Palmer retired from the race, it would be an uphill battle to the top of the standings. Bottas passed drivers as if his career depended on it. He set blistering sector times and made small work of traffic down the 2km straight.

Up ahead, drama unfolded with a safety car, the race being red-flagged and