Bottas Hungary’s crash will not affect the F1 driver’s decision in 2022

Mercedes is currently considering whether Bottas will continue as a team-mate of Lewis Hamilton in the next season or whether junior driver George Russell will be promoted to the senior team.

Russell has been part of the Mercedes Young Driver Program since 2017 and has made an impact in F1 since his debut at Williams in 2019.

He scored his first points for the team last weekend in Hungary in eighth place.

Russell’s best F1 result was aided by two accidents in the first corner in wet conditions with seven cars, one of which was triggered by Bottas.

The Mercedes driver misjudged his braking point and slipped into the rear of Lando Norris, whose McLaren was then promoted to Max Verstappen’s Red Bull.

Bottas’ car followed Sergio Perez’s lane in the second Red Bull, with all drivers except Verstappen having to retire due to damage.

The mistake sparked criticism from Norris, who said he expected better from top F1 drivers.

Bottas apologized and took full blame for the incident and was given a five-place penalty for the Belgian Grand Prix after the summer break.

But Mercedes F1 boss Wolff made it clear that Bottas’ mistake will not affect the team’s driver decision for 2022.

Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes W12, collides at the start with Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB16B

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

“No, the mistake was unfortunate with major consequences,” said Wolff.

“He was pinched by the two cars in front, lost all downforce, and then it was too late.

“It doesn’t affect the decision at all.”

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Mercedes is expected to make a decision between Bottas and Russell during the summer break and will be the first big domino to fall in the driver market next year.

Bottas was disappointed after his third DNF of the 2021 season after colliding with Russell in the wet in Imola and losing a comfortable second place in Monaco due to a wheel nut failure.

The Finn is fourth in the drivers’ standings, 87 points behind Mercedes team-mate Hamilton, and has not won a race this year.

Bottas admitted that the season “hasn’t gone that way” so far, but believed he had made progress in the last races before his accident in Hungary.

“At least in the last few races it feels like it was a bit positive to get a few podiums and more points,” said Bottas.

“But now I have three DNFs, which is quite a lot in terms of points, so it wasn’t great.

“But there is still more than half the number of races ahead of us and we are moving on.”