2021 Russian Grand Prix - Sochi, Sep 24 - 26

[PlatinumZealot]

But I blame the team, at least tell Bottas to try his best to defend from Max behind.

A racing driver should not need to be told to defend from the driver behind him.

Do you feel the same about Ocon letting Hamilton pass him in Monaco?

Bottas was racing Max quite different to Ocon and Lewis. In fact Bottas was to do everything legally possible to make Max's race as hard as possible. It was only one job.

[ArcticWolfie]

Probably the only reason he didn't was because; he didn't care in defending anymore.

If that's the case, he still needs to be careful! The team could easily decide to release him early and just bring in the reserve driver (VANDOORNE), or negotiate to get George early. How in embracing would that be for Bottas?

I think he would embrace that

But could be a bit embarrassing indeed

[Baulz]

I remember now why I stay out of these threads.

[sosic2121]

A racing driver should not need to be told to defend from the driver behind him.

Do you feel the same about Ocon letting Hamilton pass him in Monaco?

I don't recall that incident to be honest.

https://www.givemesport.com/1322467-mer ... -monaco-gp

[Andres125sx]

All Bottas had to do was stay right there in the middle of the turn. He literally just stepped aside for Max to waltz right through the middle.
Bottas did not even have to defend, he just had to drive towards the inside of the corner.
But I blame the team, at least tell Bottas to try his best to defend from Max behind.

But why would he do that? What's in for him?
They dumped him after everything he done for the team, and even screwed his race. Now you expect him to do the dirty job for them, after he's been doing it since 2017 and still got dumped.

Dirty job? Now a racing driver defending his position is doing a drity job?


Bottas is useless on wheel to wheel battles, both defending and attacking, that´s all. He´s not responding to Mercedes, he´s been that poor from day 1. On clean air he´s fast, but with cars around...

[NathanOlder]

Do you feel the same about Ocon letting Hamilton pass him in Monaco?

I don't recall that incident to be honest.

https://www.givemesport.com/1322467-mer ... -monaco-gp

I see that as a problem indeed, but no where near as big as the problem that the Alpha Tauri's create when they allow RedBull through.

[TimW]

I don't recall that incident to be honest.

https://www.givemesport.com/1322467-mer ... -monaco-gp

I see that as a problem indeed, but no where near as big as the problem that the Alpha Tauri's create when they allow RedBull through.

Yes I see the 'satellite' teams and junior drivers as an ever bigger problem too. RB was vocal about 'let them race' but have changed their approach to 'let Max pass' this year (not sure if Perez enjoys the same privileges). With Mercedes it has been clear for a while that junior drivers are not supposed to race the main team. With the tighter field it has really become a problem now. Lucky for RB that McLaren are truly competitive and not much under influence of Mercedes. At some point we may see junior driver/satellite teams start timing their pitstops to help the main team.

[NathanOlder]

https://www.givemesport.com/1322467-mer ... -monaco-gp

I see that as a problem indeed, but no where near as big as the problem that the Alpha Tauri's create when they allow RedBull through.

Yes I see the 'satellite' teams and junior drivers as an ever bigger problem too. RB was vocal about 'let them race' but have changed their approach to 'let Max pass' this year (not sure if Perez enjoys the same privileges). With Mercedes it has been clear for a while that junior drivers are not supposed to race the main team. With the tighter field it has really become a problem now. Lucky for RB that McLaren are truly competitive and not much under influence of Mercedes. At some point we may see junior driver/satellite teams start timing their pitstops to help the main team.

Well Gasly 100% did that in Monaco this year. So it already happens. Gasly was staying out until Lewis pit, then pit after Lewis stopped .

[TimW]

I see that as a problem indeed, but no where near as big as the problem that the Alpha Tauri's create when they allow RedBull through.

Yes I see the 'satellite' teams and junior drivers as an ever bigger problem too. RB was vocal about 'let them race' but have changed their approach to 'let Max pass' this year (not sure if Perez enjoys the same privileges). With Mercedes it has been clear for a while that junior drivers are not supposed to race the main team. With the tighter field it has really become a problem now. Lucky for RB that McLaren are truly competitive and not much under influence of Mercedes. At some point we may see junior driver/satellite teams start timing their pitstops to help the main team.

Well Gasly 100% did that in Monaco this year. So it already happens. Gasly was staying out until Lewis pit, then pit after Lewis stopped .

That had nothing to do with Max. It was to defend his own position. He finished the race in front of Hamilton!

[NathanOlder]

Yes I see the 'satellite' teams and junior drivers as an ever bigger problem too. RB was vocal about 'let them race' but have changed their approach to 'let Max pass' this year (not sure if Perez enjoys the same privileges). With Mercedes it has been clear for a while that junior drivers are not supposed to race the main team. With the tighter field it has really become a problem now. Lucky for RB that McLaren are truly competitive and not much under influence of Mercedes. At some point we may see junior driver/satellite teams start timing their pitstops to help the main team.

Well Gasly 100% did that in Monaco this year. So it already happens. Gasly was staying out until Lewis pit, then pit after Lewis stopped .

That had nothing to do with Max. It was to defend his own position. He finished the race in front of Hamilton!

Well their move to finish in front of Hamilton cost them places to Vettel and Perez, so if they focused on their rivals instead of their sister teams rival, they could have finished in the top 4.

[sosic2121]

Since day 1 Bottas was doing what team requested. He received suboptimal strategy many times. He destroyed his engine while blocking Vettel. He was asked to drive slower so his (quicker) team could score fastest lap.
Every F1 driver is highly competitive and wants to become WDC, and Bottas was probably promised a shot when his time comes.
And his time never came.
So why would he block a faster car in a race that was ruined by his team!?

[NathanOlder]

Since day 1 Bottas was doing what team requested. He received suboptimal strategy many times. He destroyed his engine while blocking Vettel. He was asked to drive slower so his (quicker) team could score fastest lap.
Every F1 driver is highly competitive and wants to become WDC, and Bottas was probably promised a shot when his time comes.
And his time never came.
So why would he block a faster car in a race that was ruined by his team!?

You make it seem like a team asking its driver to do something (that is completely normal) in the interest of the team is not allowed.

[PlatinumZealot]

Since day 1 Bottas was doing what team requested. He received suboptimal strategy many times. He destroyed his engine while blocking Vettel. He was asked to drive slower so his (quicker) team could score fastest lap.
Every F1 driver is highly competitive and wants to become WDC, and Bottas was probably promised a shot when his time comes.
And his time never came.
So why would he block a faster car in a race that was ruined by his team!?

He is granted equal status. The present rules of engagement at Mercedes has been very clear since Toto took the reigns in 2014. Some of which are: The leading driver gets the optimal strategy; they do not engage to race each other if there is a risk of team result; they have equal opportunity to win as long as both have a probable chance of winning the race (or the WDC).

We have seen many times bottas pulling over for Ham and Ham in turn pulling over for Bottas. And more often than not we see that Bottas' slowerrace pace puts him in a position where he has no other choice but to support Lewis. He wont have a proper chance to win amayway. Remember in 2018 he never won (or did he? I dont remember) and in 2021 I can't even remember if he won a race yet. Mercedes shouldn't prioritize him at this point that ship has sailed.

[El Scorchio]

Since day 1 Bottas was doing what team requested. He received suboptimal strategy many times. He destroyed his engine while blocking Vettel. He was asked to drive slower so his (quicker) team could score fastest lap.
Every F1 driver is highly competitive and wants to become WDC, and Bottas was probably promised a shot when his time comes.
And his time never came.
So why would he block a faster car in a race that was ruined by his team!?

You make it seem like a team asking its driver to do something (that is completely normal) in the interest of the team is not allowed.

To add, Bottas started every season with equal opportunity to Hamilton and to force the team to play the team game with roles reversed. He wasn't ever able to score enough points to keep himself in WDC contention to the point where if the team was fighting a Ferrari or Red Bull driver, then it wasn't for the best interests of the team for him to not do what was requested, even if it meant putting the guy in the team who was actually in contention first.

What I find funny is that so many people only equate this behaviour with Mercedes and make a point of being salty about it or using it for petty argument, when it's clear that Ferrari and Red Bull (and other teams also) have both been doing this for years- often even without the caveat of the drivers both even having equal opportunity at the start of the season. Schumacher, Alonso (both in Ferrari days), Vettel (RBR and Ferrari) and Verstappen (aside from arguably when paired with Ricciardo) just to name a few have usually had their team mate as a clear support driver from race one of the season. Hamilton gets no more special treatment from his team than any of those guys either got or get from theirs, (ironically actually less so) and people act like he's the only one in the sport who does. It's laughable really.

[SiLo]

Since day 1 Bottas was doing what team requested. He received suboptimal strategy many times. He destroyed his engine while blocking Vettel. He was asked to drive slower so his (quicker) team could score fastest lap.
Every F1 driver is highly competitive and wants to become WDC, and Bottas was probably promised a shot when his time comes.
And his time never came.
So why would he block a faster car in a race that was ruined by his team!?

You make it seem like a team asking its driver to do something (that is completely normal) in the interest of the team is not allowed.

To add, Bottas started every season with equal opportunity to Hamilton and to force the team to play the team game with roles reversed. He wasn't ever able to score enough points to keep himself in WDC contention to the point where if the team was fighting a Ferrari or Red Bull driver, then it wasn't for the best interests of the team for him to not do what was requested, even if it meant putting the guy in the team who was actually in contention first.

What I find funny is that so many people only equate this behaviour with Mercedes and make a point of being salty about it or using it for petty argument, when it's clear that Ferrari and Red Bull (and other teams also) have both been doing this for years- often even without the caveat of the drivers both even having equal opportunity at the start of the season. Schumacher, Alonso (both in Ferrari days), Vettel (RBR and Ferrari) and Verstappen (aside from arguably when paired with Ricciardo) just to name a few have usually had their team mate as a clear support driver from race one of the season. Hamilton gets no more special treatment from his team than any of those guys either got or get from theirs, (ironically actually less so) and people act like he's the only one in the sport who does. It's laughable really.

most of them probably never even watched Vettel and RB and Alonso at Ferrari, let alone Schumacher.