Bottas convinced he still has the same chances as Hamilton

Bottas found himself behind his teammate Lewis Hamilton when approaching the final packaging during the last German Grand Prix. When the Safety Car, entered following the abandonment of the leader Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari), released the pack for the last 10 laps, the native of Nastola attacked the leading W09 before quickly receiving the order to maintain positions.

Bottas, who had just renewed his contract Mercedes for 2019 with an option for 2020 two days earlier, immediately complied, while Toto wolff, main team of the Flèches d'Argent, assured after the race that he would have proceeded in the same way if the order of his drivers had been reversed. Even if he is 66 points behind Hamilton, Bottas does not see himself playing second fiddle to the quadruple world champions.

« After having experienced a lot of misery during the triple sequence Paul Ricard-Red Bull Ring-Silverstone, where so many points were lost for various reasons, I understood the choice of the team, he declared in the Hungaroring paddock. We found ourselves side by side and they really wanted to score this double. I'm sure they would have done the same thing if I had been in front.

I'm sure we have the right to pull the wool over our eyes. Obviously, this is always a decision that is made on a case-by-case basis, but it is absolutely not planned for me to intervene in support. We still have the same chances and I hope that continues until the end of the season ».

Bottas also said he was unaware of the instructions given to Hamilton in the final laps in Germany for the Briton to increase his pace to cover a possible time penalty following his true-false entry into the race. pit lane.

« I knew he didn't stop and must have crossed the line at that point. I wasn't trying to stay in the same second as him because the dice had been cast and the positions were fixed. ».