Valtteri Bottas claims he ‘wasn’t allowed’ to battle Lewis Hamilton for title by Mercedes

George Russell joins Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes

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Valtteri Bottas says he felt Mercedes had blocked him from battling with team-mate Lewis Hamilton earlier in the season, after recently announcing his departure from the team for next season.

In five years alongside the seven-time world champion, the Finn has yet to beat Hamilton across a single season but has helped Mercedes win Constructor Championships in all of the past four years.

Despite the consistency alongside Hamilton, Mercedes have opted to replace Bottas with George Russell next season, who steps up from Williams after hugely impressing at the British team, with 15 points to his name this season.

Bottas meanwhile currently trails Hamilton by 80.5 points, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen leading the way by a further five points in the Drivers’ Championship.

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Yet the Finn, who was once labelled a ‘sensational wingman’ for Hamilton by Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff back in Hungary in 2018, has revealed he felt he had been held back by the team this season.

When asked ahead of the Russian Grand Prix if he could still be allowed to challenge for the title, with just eight races remaining, Bottas replied: “I don’t know really, I need to ask Toto. For sure, it’s still a reasonable gap in the points.

“At least earlier in the season, I felt like I wasn’t allowed anymore for the contention, but you never know. We go race by race.

“I think in Formula One you just never know how the season will progress. There are still a fair amount of races, so never say never.

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“For me personally, coming here is different, so the only thing that’s in my mind is winning. That’s the only thing that matters to me and at least that is my approach for this week.”

Bottas makes the switch next season for Alfa Romeo for 2022, but admits for the final eight races alongside Mercedes, he will still play the team game when required.

He added: “Every race is different and there could be times that we need to play as a team and I need to take one for the team.”

When asked however if he would move aside for Hamilton to get a points advantage, Bottas added: “At this situation, yes, I would do it.

“We are here as a team and we need to make sure we win both the titles. Not only the constructors’ but the drivers’.

“At the moment, Lewis has the greater chance for that so that is the situation.”

The battle between Hamilton and Verstappen continues this Sunday at the Russian Grand Prix, after both drivers were left with no points in the Italian Grand Prix two weeks ago due to a crash.

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