I think VB has been told he is out of merc next year . I think he has been told he will stay until the end of the season . I think he will leave F1 . So why would he not do all he can for his best interests in his last season of F1
I'm not sure what Bottas was trying to achieve. Proving a point? The team will just compromise him and box him put of the way. I assume he just wants to tell himself he's still in the fight and is fighting for the championship.
So do Red Bull have an answer? I think the key thing for us to look out for will be compounds- the last two races with C1-C2-C3 (the hardest we can get) has easily been Merc territory. I expect RBR (and Ferrari) to have a good Monaco on soft tyres.
He's going to be out of the team because he's simply not delivering. So taking it out on the teams would be spitefully punishing them for his own failings. He shouldn't be finding himself in these situations, and only he can remedy that by performing better.
Trying to convince other teams he could be their number 1 perhaps? He knows he's out at the end of the season anyway so little point in keeping Merc happy.
Why should he think about the team ? He is out and I think he will retire. He will want to do what's best for HIM .
Mercedes comes up with a strategy in which they asked Lewis to rundown the super fast Max, and Lewis does. Great team work by Mercedes strategy team and their driver. Feel for Max, drove a great race got the jump on Lewis again with the help of the clean side of the track and could not do much to fight of the mighty Mercs. The W12/Hamilton combination looks quicker than the Max/RB16 at the moment. Max will come again he is to good not to. Leclerc for me driver of the day. This is a future champion there is no doubt. It is Max ,Leclerc and Lewis who are the top boys on the grid with Russell a unknown factor. I can't even put Ricciardo in this group of 3. Great midfield battle again with Gasly and Alonso catching my eye.
If the Mercedes can keep up with the Red Bull on soft tyres and have better wear, on a slow track why should Mercedes be worried about a slightly softer compounds to use? Red Bull May have looked the fastest after testing and the first race but I don’t think that’s the case anymore.
It's a shame he isn't up there. He is out performing the car. Ferrari will get it right one day hopefully.
Button tried a quick on on Hamilton at Turkey after the Vettel/Webber crash and Vettel as top dog definitely did one on Webber when they’d already had the multi 21 call.
If he's driving for himself, how about being 10 seconds up the road taking the fight to Max? Compromising your team is a jerk move if you ask me. He needs to get on it and be fighting at the front, otherwise he'll be in that position time and time again.
I think he is aware his time maybe up. He may just race for himself now. To be fair, he has been a good team player for Mercedes while he has been in their employment. His racecraft is just not good enough in such Quality cars that he has driven. His one lap pace is up there with some of the fastest drivers though.