I can race Lewis raps Bottas
VALTTERI BOTTAS is confident he will not be forced to play second fiddle to Lewis Hamilton in the Hungarian Grand Prix tomorrow.
Bottas was ordered not to continue his fight for the lead with his Mercedes team-mate at last week’s rain-affected race in Germany.
With Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel having already crashed out, Bottas was allowed one crack at passing Hamilton before being ordered to hold station. But Bottas is confident that does not mean he has extended his contract at Mercedes just to be Hamilton’s wing man.
“I do believe we are still allowed to race freely,” he said. “There’s no plan in place at the moment for me being at all in a support role.
“We are still on equal terms. We were side by side a couple of times and they wanted to get those points. I am confident they would have done the same if I was in the lead.”
Hamilton, who pulled off a stunning win in Hockenheim despite starting 14th, heads Vettel by 17 points in the drivers’ championship, with Bottas trailing his team-mate by 66 points.
At the Hungaroring last season, Hamilton was allowed to take Bottas for third place in order to try to pass the Ferraris of Kimi Raikkonen and leader Vettel. But after making no impression, Hamilton ceded the place back.
Asked if he expects the same treatment tomorrow, Bottas said: “It’s up to the team.”
Mercedes will have a fight this weekend with Vettel topping the timesheets in second practice ahead of both Red Bulls while Hamilton was fifth.