Valtteri Bottas: From contender to wingman

In the space of two grands prix, Valtteri Bottas has gone from being a possible championship contender to a solid wingman.

Having had his contract at the Mercedes AMG extended into 2019 at the previous race, in Germany, the Finn was labelled “the perfect wingman” to his Hungarian race-winning teammate Lewis Hamilton – by none other than team boss Toto Wolff.

The driver’s response was to express “hurt” – and rightly so.

Since then, the Silver Arrows, Wolff and Bottas have clarified the comments, though the damage had already been done.

In the dying stages of the race at Hockenheim, Bottas was instructed over the team radio to hold station and not compromise the forthcoming Mercedes one-two finish in front of their home crowd. This despite the fact the 28-year-old was on fresher tyres than Hamilton and had the speed to depose the four-time world champion.

Image supplied by AMG Petronas Motorsport

In Hungary, Bottas was exposed by the team in their strategic attempt to hold Ferrari from mounting a challenge to Hamilton’s lead. The Scuderia had two-stopped both its cars, while Bottas was left out since Lap 16 on a set of soft tyres in a bid to protect his teammate’s position.

It was inevitable then, that in desperation to keep his position, there was contact with Sebastian Vettel at Turn 3 on Lap 65 – as the cork in the Ferrari bottle had finally been freed. Subsequently, the front-wing damage sustained saw the Finn understeer on the penultimate lap going into Turn 1 and take a swipe at Daniel Ricciardo, who finished fourth in the end.

Now sitting 81 points adrift of Hamilton, there is realistically no chance for the recently renewed Mercedes driver to win the 2018 world championship. From here, it’s actually difficult to see Bottas ever claim a title with his present teammate.

This isn’t to undermine the three-time race winner’s calibre, given the prowess he demonstrated in 2017 for those initial victories under immense pressure and the imposing positions Bottas has been in this season – before circumstances beyond his control cruelled his chances.

It is just the unfortunate byproduct of Mercedes’ desire to avoid the same toxic levels of internal competition seen during the 2016 title fight between Hamilton and the eventual world champion, Nico Rosberg.

While Bottas and Hamilton are a more harmonious pairing, this is clearly down to the fact the latter hasn’t been stressed about opposition from within.

Ferrari have long employed their drivers similarly and the longstanding partnership between Vettel and Bottas’ compatriot, Kimi Räikkönen, enjoys the same fruits of no internal rivalry.

It may be more accepted at Ferrari – given Räikkönen is nearing the end of a career already decorated with a world championship – but for Bottas, who still has that ultimate prize to attain, this relegation would indeed hurt.