Mercedes developed a fresh tactic for the Singapore GP – one that was in favor of Lewis Hamilton, much to the dismay of his partner Valtteri Bottas. Bottas was not satisfied with the role he was given to play at the event in Singapore and has decided to go vocal about his views.
The Finn held talks with Mercedes chiefs this week to ascertain what the future holds for him in the F1 team. His decision to meet with the higher-ups was prompted by their refusal to grant his request to overtake Lewis Hamilton in Singapore.
After the showdown in Asia, Bottas must have gotten the hint that his services were no longer needed at the F1 team. Now that talks have been held with the chiefs, he must have clarified his position.
The tactic adopted by Mercedes in Singapore paved room for Lewis Hamilton to succeed for the F1 team. The instruction for Bottas was to hold off the pace when Hamilton pitted to ensure that the latter remained ahead.
This game plan was beneficial for Mercedes; however, as it ensured that Red Bull’s Alex Albon could not leapfrog them.
However, it seems Bottas couldn’t care less about how the tactic benefitted his team, considering it made him play second fiddle to his Brit teammate. Supporters have begun throwing shades at the Finn for his ‘selfish’ act of wanting to play the leading role in Singapore, without considering his team.
However, can he really be blamed for his actions? If given the lead role, the 30-year-old could have gained a vital position and then attacked those at the front of the pack.
With speculations among the media of a rift between Mercedes chiefs and the driver, Bottas has cleared the air on the issue, insisting he only set up a meeting to clarify a few things. He wants to be given such benefits should he be ahead of Hamilton some other time.
“I’m not thinking about that anymore coming into this weekend,” referencing the events that played out in Singapore.
“I can’t go into details; we always review everything by the finest details with the team. I was in the factory on Tuesday, and we had meetings about that and whatever we discussed will remain between us”, Bottas said.
Written by: Arum Victor
