F1: Bottas to play Hamilton’s water boy for 2021 title

(GMM) Valtteri Bottas will fall in line behind Lewis Hamilton’s championship charge for the remainder of the 2021 head-to-head with Max Verstappen.

At Silverstone, a slipstream from the Finn helped Hamilton onto the Friday pole position, and Bottas then obeyed Mercedes’ team orders to let the seven time world champion pass en route to victory on Sunday.

Team boss Toto Wolff admits Bottas has fallen in line behind Hamilton.

“The chances of Valtteri winning the championship are already very small compared to Lewis, who is in this very close fight,” the Austrian said.

“We discussed the issue, and no matter how hard it was for the driver to hear, this season we cannot afford to have our drivers take points from one another.”

When asked if Bottas’ subservient role will help him retain the Mercedes seat for 2022, Wolff answered: “This is just one of the factors, but I am glad for this assistance.

“I simply love to see this teamwork,” he added.