FORMULA ONE
VALTTERI BOTTAS is confident he will not be forced to play second fiddle to Lewis Hamilton in tomorrow’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
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 already in the wall, Bottas was allowed one crack at passing Hamilton before being ordered to hold station.
But Bottas is confident that it does not mean he hasn’t extended his contract at Mercedes just to be Hamilton’s wing man.
The Finn said: “I do believe we are still allowed to race freely.
“There’s no plan in place at the moment for me being at all in a support role. We are still on equal terms. That’s the plan for now.
“We were side by side a couple of times and they (Mercedes) wanted to get those points. I am very confident they would have done the same if I was in the lead.”
Hamilton, who pulled out 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 (inset) was allowed to pass Bottas for third place in order to try and pass the Ferraris of Kimi Raikkonen and race leader Vettel. But after making no impression, the British star ceded the final podium place back to his team-mate. Asked if he could expect the same treatment tomorrow, Bottas added: “It really always goes case by case.
“We are still both trying to collect maximum points, trying always to win the race.
“We always have an equal chance. If me and Lewis end up in similar situation, then it’s up to the team.
“But we are on equal terms, so I’m still allowed to try and catch him in the points.” Mercedes have a fight on their hands at the Hungaroring this weekend, with Red Bull well in the hunt for an important victory before the four-week summer break. Daniel Ricciardo was fastest in the morning session yesterday with Hamilton only fifth.
Vettel topped the timesheets in second practice ahead of the Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Ricciardo with Hamilton fifth again.