We’re Both Each Other’s Wingman – Bottas

Valtteri Bottas has suggested Mercedes‘ decision to use him as a block for Kimi Raikkonen during the Italian Grand Prix helped his race as much as it did Lewis Hamilton.

After Sebastian Vettel had taken himself out of the equation for the victory at Monza with another unnecessary incident with Hamilton on the opening lap, the race became a straight duel between the Briton and Raikkonen for the top spot.

Bottas, who had been a little off the pace all weekend, would fall behind Max Verstappen at the start and then surprisingly struggled to re-pass the Dutchman despite the perceived engine deficit of the Red Bull.

Ultimately, that would work in Mercedes’ favour as, after the sole leading Ferrari had pitted, it allowed the team to plot a two-on-one attack on Raikkonen with one Finn holding up another.

While normally that strategy would work firmly against Bottas, the unique characteristics of the Italian track meant that was not the case.

“When we went through everything, all the scenarios for the race, we saw that with me starting fourth and Lewis from third behind the Ferraris, there was no point for us to try and opt for the optimal strategy and saw an opportunity for me to go long,” he explained.

“I wouldn’t call it sacrificing my race because the pit window here is so big with the tyres we had this weekend.

“We opted to go for a very long first stint because the tyres were holding on well,” he continued. “It was good for me to have fresh tyres to attack in the end

“It was good for me, but it was also good for Lewis that I could keep Kimi behind and slow him down a bit,” he said. “I think we did good team work today.”

Responding to suggestions that he is Lewis Hamilton’s wingman, Bottas had this to say. “You’ve seen in Top Gun what wingman actually means. We’re both each other’s wingman, so that’s all good.”

Such was the frantic pace of the race, particularly in those eight laps between Raikkonen and Hamilton pitting, it meant the Ferrari driver wrecked his tyres and allowed the reigning world champion to make the pass for a record-equalling fifth win at Monza.

As for Bottas, he would re-ignite his race-long battle with Verstappen claiming third by default after the Red Bull driver was penalised five seconds for causing contact between the pair under braking for the first chicane.

“First my mission was to hold up Kimi for a while, but then to end up on the podium,” the 29-year-old declared. “I was really trying to do everything I can to get to the podium.

“It’s good to be back on the podium, it’s been a tough period of races,” he added with his last coming three races ago in Germany.

“It wasn’t an easy race for me today.”

The ‘wingman’ may have to get used to that kind of race, however, with the 97-point gap between Bottas and Hamilton making it all-but-certain Mercedes will be employing team orders to help the latter go on and take his fifth world title.