Mercedes will discuss imposing team orders on Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas in the Russian Grand Prix, including how they should approach the first corner of the race.
Bottas will start Sunday’s race ahead of championship leader Hamilton, whose closest rival Sebastian Vettel is immediately behind him on the grid. The long run to the first braking zone at Sochi could leave the Mercedes pair vulnerable to the two Ferraris starting behind them.Speaking to media including RaceFans after today’s qualifying session Wolff confirmed talks will be held tomorrow morning between the Mercedes drivers, management and senior engineers on how to co-ordinate their approach to the race.
“We are not in a part of the season where I would particularly enjoy the Mercedes racing each other at the front,” said Wolff. “As much as I hate to say it as a race fan but you need to calculate a little bit more at that stage.”
Hamilton goes into the race 110 points ahead of his team mate with 150 available, meaning Bottas could drop out of championship contention tomorrow. Wolff admitted Hamilton would prefer not to resort to using team orders.
“None of us actually likes it because we have seen it in the past from other teams and we have had that discussion between Nico [Rosberg] and Lewis. Lewis wouldn’t want it because he wants to go on his own and Valtteri doesn’t want it because he needs that win that he didn’t have this year.
“So it’s a very tricky decision to make and we’ll be discussing it tomorrow morning with both of them and as always come to a solution with the buy-in of everybody.”
Asked whether the discussions would include tactics for the first corner of the race, Wolff said: “Yes, probably. We’ll discuss it in the morning how we kind of see that.”
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Phylyp (@phylyp)
29th September 2018, 17:33
Something tells me that Wolff announcing this to the media is just a way of getting inside Vettel’s head (and Ferrari’s strategists).
L (@lebz)
29th September 2018, 17:52
True, and watch how Ferrari blindly falls for it. Those guys are so gullible
mystic one (@mysticus)
29th September 2018, 19:47
First radio to Vettel: Wolf said Hamilton will not race the team leader
Vettel: I dont believe him… But I’ll crash one of them anyway! Since Hamilton is in front of me, let me try something so silly!
Ajaxn
29th September 2018, 19:58
I don’t think Wolf has announced anything, so much as answered a question put to him. I’m sure though he would like a Bottas win, providing it doesn’t compromise their other goals.
If Hamilton is sat behind Bottas its going to compromise Hamilton’s drive, It will mean defensive driving which will slow them both down, as well as give Vettel a chance to undercut them both. That said if Hamilton takes advantage of Bottas slip stream he could in theory go longer to have freasher tires at the end.
It would be better to have them on different tire stratigies, although i don’t even think that’s an option.
Jere (@jerejj)
29th September 2018, 17:51
It’s rather difficult to impose team orders on the opening lap of a race due to the proximity of all the other cars.
GPfan
30th September 2018, 2:29
It would likely be something like “whoever leads going into the braking zone of turn 1 gets the corner” and the other must not attempt a block pass or an outside pass that could result in contact or Losing a position to Ferrari 🤷🏻♂️. Perhaps?
Broke84 (@broke84)
29th September 2018, 18:17
The team orders will be simple. Hold position unless there is room to allow the overtake.
Mark (@blueruck)
29th September 2018, 18:26
Agree, unless VB has a bad start – then let LH go and keep the red cars behind.
Passo (@passo)
29th September 2018, 18:38
This is completely sensible. They have track position and need to defend it. Hamilton and Bottas are good team players and I don’t think either really resents the other when it comes to those sorts of team orders.
DocNuke (@)
29th September 2018, 19:32
+1
I think that this is the only real reason why Mercedes would put it on the table. I think if they were in a position with a different set of drivers than LH and VB that they would outright do it no questions asked. These two work well together so I don’t think that it’ll be a blue-on-blue issue so that just leaves doing what they can to get the cars past the opening set of turns to the finish line with the Ferrari’s behind them if possible going into turn 1.
Joao (@johnmilk)
29th September 2018, 18:50
It’s not the first time they boxed a Ferrari, with a front row lock-up if they start well they can reach the 2nd corner almost in formation.
mystic one (@mysticus)
29th September 2018, 19:56
did you actually see the circuit width? you can probably put 10 trucks side by side! boxing would be dangerous and near impossible, only thing matters is good start off the line and no mistake and also give no chance for a slip stream which is quite hard here…
Vettel has a chance to jump one mercedes but not both (unless both merc has bad start) but vettel’s chance of jumping is one thing, keeping ahead of them mercs after 1-2 laps, not much chance there…
My guess is that Hamilton may jump Bottas at start then after first corner, team orders… Vettel if he can get extra ordinary start, has no chance of overtaking and keeping position for too long… he needs to keep his head down and make no stupid mistakes or super silly moves… otherwise Max will be very angry for challenging his style and not Vettel’s!
anon
29th September 2018, 18:52
You could only imagine the hysterical reaction if Ferrari did this.
If Hammy is good enough he’ll beat Bottas without Mercedes sabotaging Bottas’s strategy (again).
David BR (@david-br)
29th September 2018, 19:51
And obviously you’ll be here to congratulate him if he does.
Tango (@tango)
29th September 2018, 19:59
I think it’s not about putting A above B at the start. That’s stupid. It will only come at the end of the race. However they’ll probably discuss the “whatever happens don’t touch one another, who ever has the nose ahead passes the first corner first and then leads from then on” type of order.
Martin
29th September 2018, 23:20
Again? When did they sabotage it previously? Seriously think about your answer here because Bottas’s strategy was not sabotaged in Hungary or Monza.
GPfan
30th September 2018, 2:45
Ferrari has never let drivers face each other the way Mercedes did with NR and LH. I’m positive nobody would be surprised in the least if they said exactly what Toto Wolff said. It would be completely accepted. I think people complain when A a driver has a chance of a win taken away with either team
anon
30th September 2018, 7:46
Ferrari hasn’t imposed team orders in the last two years.
Mercedes routinely impose them.
Bottas has been used as Hammy’s rear gunner numerous times over the past two seasons. They basically destroy Bottas’s race.
Explicit team order was issued in Hockenheim when Bottas was significantly faster after the safety car came in.
Martin
30th September 2018, 8:45
Hockenheim, come on how biased are you? You even brought up Hockenheim yourself and you completely ignore Ferrari moving Kimi out of the way of Vettel?
Adam (@rocketpanda)
29th September 2018, 19:08
Buuut… there was outcry at the suggestion that Ferrari should swap their cars at Monza?
Joao (@johnmilk)
29th September 2018, 19:26
Mercedes doing it is logical, methodical and the only way to optimise the result.
Ferrari doing it is politics and number 2 driver status.
This isn’t new, so I’m blaming you for not being up to date.
The blessed wingman
John H (@john-h)
29th September 2018, 21:34
As I remember it, the outcry seemed to be why didn’t they let Vettel past Kimi at the start.
Team orders at this stage of the season is fine with me. It’s when Ferrari used to do it during the first half of the season that it left a sour taste.
Tango (@tango)
29th September 2018, 23:36
I definitely remember being surprised Raikkonen defended vettel’s move. (Actually, I was surprised vettel didn’t tuck in behind Raikkonen, défend the line and wait for pit stops to jump rai.)
Patrick (@anunaki)
29th September 2018, 19:18
There is quite a long straight in the beginning so everything seems to be possible.
I actually hope Vettel finds his way pass them. For the championship, not for Vettel
David BR (@david-br)
29th September 2018, 19:56
I can see Raikkonen getting past if Hamilton and Bottas are focused on Vettel. I also wonder if Hamilton can get a tow off Bottas?
erikje
29th September 2018, 21:17
Do not underestimate magnussen.. the softer tire.. and in a position tot slipstream some cars to the second corner.
If it goes wrong he will take someone out.. if it succeeds it will compromize the cars left behind.
OOliver
29th September 2018, 20:14
I don’t think they’ll have control at the first corner. Perhaps during the pit phase. There are so many unknowns.
Neil (@neilosjames)
29th September 2018, 20:31
The only ‘safe’ team order they could realistically issue for an opening sequence of corners like those at Sochi would be ‘Ham inside, Bot outside’ into the first braking zone. But even that relies 100% on them getting similar starts and not having to change their plans to fight off the Ferraris, and they’ll be very quick on the run to Turn 2 with their better deployment and likely slipstreams.
Think it’d be safer and easier to just let them do their own thing, then shuffle it later if needed. Though I’d rather they didn’t shuffle anything and just let them race…
DonSmee (@david-beau)
29th September 2018, 21:47
Valtteri will be given this race…. But he must agree to pull over for Lewis in the remainding races. I bet.
Broke84 (@broke84)
30th September 2018, 7:52
I don’t think they will. I think all of them, even Hamilton, think that Bottas needs a win, particularly after his previous bad luck in the 1st half of season, but I believe they will try and wrap it up as early as they can, and Hamilton will gift Bottas a win in a remaining race if they happen to be running in a 1 -2 position.
David BR (@david-br)
29th September 2018, 22:15
Hamilton clearly had more pace than Bottas in general and should have the same in the race. Assuming a 1-2 in the same start order after the first corners, admittedly a big assumption, Mercedes could simply try to give Hamilton to get past via a pit strategy. If that fails, I think they’ll let Bottas take the win. If the Ferraris get past, though, one or both, and Hamilton is potentially faster but behind Bottas, I expect they’ll tell him to let Hamilton past at some point to attack. Well I would.
Ben Rowe (@thegianthogweed)
29th September 2018, 23:21
Not exactly. Bottas was consistently faster in the 2nd sector and often similar in the final one. Admittedly Hamilton had a big advantage in the first, but he kept going beyond the track limits. And that was what helped him get a faster time than Bottas in practice 3. Bottas wasn’t quitea s quick, but was much smoother. And was quicker where it mattered.
David BR (@david-br)
30th September 2018, 0:38
@thegianthogweed Well I wasn’t just basing that on Q3, but also the 3 free practices and Q1 and Q2! And yes Hamilton was basically faster but scruffier in Q3. Of course no guarantee he’ll be faster tomorrow.
Ben Rowe (@thegianthogweed)
30th September 2018, 8:37
Fair enough. but Hamilton was told by his team that he needed to stay with in track limits. as in practice, Bottas was often very close and I think it was likely Hamilton going wide on 3 occations in the first sector that halped his time. He didn’t need to slow down as much due to his wide line. He did seem quicker in Q1 and Q2. But in the final session, it wasn’t just the final run Hamilton wasn’t as quick. The first one too and I didn’t think he made a mistake there. Bottas just looked quicker. Other than the first sector.
RL
30th September 2018, 0:27
I dare say if the top 3 in the grid remains the same for the majority of the race Mercedes will take it. But I don’t know how fidgety they are with Lewis’ lead. To get a 50 point advantage surely is better than 43, the former is two races’ worth.
I guess it also depends if Bottas remains ahead at the end of the first lap, and if he can build up a gap.
Lems
30th September 2018, 4:49
I think it’ll be really simple, don’t ram into each other, don’t let the red cars get ahead by any chance and give each other enough room. Toto could also be saying this to prompt a reaction from Ferrari, and Vettel! Hoping he won’t take he/they won’t take the bait.
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
30th September 2018, 6:57
Currently Mercedes have 452 points and Ferrari 415 points, a lead of 37 points. The best race result (1st and 2nd) will give ( 25 + 18 = ) 43 points. I guess that means it is theoretically possible for Ferrari to still overtake Mercedes in the Constructors’ Championship at this GP, but obviously that’s relying on the less likely scenarios to eventuate.
Hamilton currently has a lead of 40 points over Vettel, and there’s 6 races to go. If Hamilton were to finish every remaining race behind Vettel, then Vettel could win the WDC. The difference between 1st and 2nd is 7 points, with the differences between two adjacent places diminishing the further you go down the place order. 7 x 6 races = 42 points. So if Vettel wins every remaining race, or finishes ahead of Hamilton with a 7 or better points advantage, then he will be WDC. Conversely, Hamilton just needs to finish ahead of Vettel regardless of the place to win the WDC.
So team orders could benefit Hamilton if Bottas were ahead of him, and Vettel was ahead of Bottas.
My suspicion is Mercedes’ strategy will prevail, meaning team orders won’t be necessary.