HAMILTON: I NEVER ASKED FOR TEAM ORDERS IN RUSSIAN GP
Passing bottas “didn’t feel good” but vettel says it was a “no-brainer”
Lewis Hamilton says he never asked for, and never wanted, team orders in the Russian Grand Prix to help him win the race – but Sebastian Vettel says it was a “no-brainer” for Mercedes to swap its drivers.
The world championship leader was gifted victory at Sochi last Sunday after team-mate Valtteri Bottas was ordered to move aside for him.
The controversial move left Hamilton feeling deflated after the race, as he made clear that neither in pre-race discussions nor over the radio had he wanted Bottas to give up the win for him.
“There was obviously a team call,” said Hamilton, whose win has helped him extend his world championship advantage over Ferrari driver Vettel to 50 points.
“There were obviously discussions before about what may or may not happen, and I just made sure, I said to Valtteri, I assured him that it was not something I asked for.
“That is something the team feel is right for us to do. It is a very awkward position to be in.”
Hamilton said that during the phase of the race where the team orders call was made – as race leader Max Verstappen was slowing the pace and Vettel was pushing hard from the back – he said he had actually just wanted Bottas to go quicker as they ran in and second and third spot.
“They told me on the radio that Valtteri was going to let me go, which is not what I wanted,” he said. “I just said ‘just tell him to speed up’ because I had Sebastian on my tail, it was quite close.
“Passing him did not feel good, in that instant, in Turn 13.”
However Vettel defended Mercedes’ decision to use team orders and says the German manufacturer shouldn’t be facing so many questions about its tactics in the race.
“Well done to both of them, they played together as a team very well,” he said.
“In their defence, all the questions – I know you guys love controversy so therefore ask naughty questions to them as individuals, but I think in the position they are it’s a no-brainer what they did today.maybe not all the questions are justified.”