I feel sorry for Bottas, it would have been nice PR for Hamilton to have given the place back and a poke in the eye for Ferrari if he had said that he doesn't want to win the Championship being given handouts from the team. Bottas deserved to win the race from qualifying onwards.
Poll: Russian Grand Prix 2018, Sochi - Race 16/21
- Thread starter Shimmy
- Start date
Man of Honour
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- 21 Nov 2004
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- 46,239
Bottas should have driven faster at the start of the year.
Caporegime
Max carving through the field, and Lewis's pass on Vettel were the only things that stopped this being an utter dirge of a race.
4/10 for me.
Driver of the Day: Verstappen.
4/10 for me.
Driver of the Day: Verstappen.
Soldato
Lol camera man walked into something.
I’m annoyed for Bottas, I don’t see that it was necessary to keep Hamilton in 1st for the win.
Bit of a struggle for Vettel, I think he’s lost whatever touch he came into this season with.
I’m annoyed for Bottas, I don’t see that it was necessary to keep Hamilton in 1st for the win.
Bit of a struggle for Vettel, I think he’s lost whatever touch he came into this season with.
Soldato
Flattest end ever to a race.
Bottas will get over it. He gets about 8 million reasons a year to help.
Vettel had a good view from his position to see what effective teamwork looks like. Perhaps he’ll need to provide the same support to Leclerc next season
Bottas will get over it. He gets about 8 million reasons a year to help.
Vettel had a good view from his position to see what effective teamwork looks like. Perhaps he’ll need to provide the same support to Leclerc next season
Caporegime
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- 18 Oct 2002
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- 33,188
I suspect he went that long to get hypers on and they put the ultras on, screwed him out of any chance of going for Kimi or Vettel and put it in engine saving mode.
The ultras will go for half the race, why wait to 10 laps to put them on, makes absolutely no sense. You actually want more laps to actually use them and have time to catch. THe only reason to wait till literally 10 laps to go is throw on the hypers and go all out.
I don't know if Max was screaming on the radio saying "wtf tires are these, you've ruined it, I guess it's over then", etc. Such a strange decision to not just try the hypers. I mean worst case they go off, he had a ridiculous gap to 6th so he could pit again or limp to the end, if he's fast, he's fast, so just push. There was no downside to going hypers at all.
Soldato
And of course Hamilton says “Bottas deserved the win” despite not giving it back to him at the end.
Problem is that Hamilton ultimately couldn't race Bottas either. The team can't risk them both taking each other out.
Nor is it reasonable to ask Hamilton to not race Bottas. So they had to make that decision.
Soldato
In a season where little margins are between different teams for the drivers championship and team orders are allowed, why would you be silly enough to not give your championship contender track position for more points until it's mathematically impossible for Vettel to snatch things back in the season run in?
Very much not stirring the pot like some others would do.
Man of Honour
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Agreed, I really enjoy his commentary.
Soldato
I thought they said they swapped them because of Vettel closing in, not because they didn’t want them racing. Why couldn’t Hamilton give the position back on the final lap?
That was just BS to stop them pushing each other. Because swapping them back would be the same as telling Hamilton not to race Bottas originally. It wasn't a sure thing that Bottas was gonna win the race.
Because with hindsight it was clearly just a ploy to switch positions.
Soldato
Because this isn't a charity event. This is to win the title obviously. Bottas has had all season to try and win a race and still hasn't. If they were allowed to race Hamilton would probably still have won anyway.
Soldato
Vettel’s body language is of a man who knows the game is up.
Lol at Bottas giving the champagne money shot to Allison on the podium.
Lol at Bottas giving the champagne money shot to Allison on the podium.
Soldato
What a **** race. If I could give a negative score I would.
Always hated team orders, always will.
Always hated team orders, always will.
Soldato
Some good moves up until the stops then it just turned in to the usual tyre preserving dullness. Also this track is horrible. I thought we'd learnt not to build tracks in **** hole car parks after Las Vegas and Valencia.
3/10. Would have been 2 without the Hamilton's move on Vettel.
3/10. Would have been 2 without the Hamilton's move on Vettel.
Soldato
You think race control are listening to one of the many commentary teams during the race?
The commentators generally tend to employ common sense which, oddly enough, often lines up with the race directors.
Rosberg wouldn't have been 100+ points behind his team mate with 5 races still to go.