Bottas sobers up after Russia: "Prepared to play as a team"

After his heartbreaking P2 in Russia, Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas has now acknowledged that he's prepared to be a team player at the German team, willing to help out the Silver Arrows in any way he can to secure another double title.

Bottas looked to be on his way to secure his first win of the season as he qualified on pole position and maintained that place throughout the race, but then team orders came through.

The Finn was ordered to stand down and let Lewis Hamilton past, as the Brit would get another seven points on his quest to win his fifth championship. Both Bottas and Hamilton were bothered by the Mercedes tactics, although they understood where the team was coming from, as they both looked unhappy standing on the podium.

At the Mercedes debrief, though, Bottas collected his thoughts and explained that he is, in fact, willing to be a team player.

"Honestly, I already understand the situation," he said on Mercedes's website.

"If you put yourself in the team leader's shoes, for them it doesn't matter if it is me or Lewis winning, as long as we are 1-2 we get the maximum points.

"For the end of the year, it's only Lewis fighting for the Championship - I am not.

"So, for the team, it is always better that Lewis wins, that's how it goes.

"We are playing as a team and I am prepared to play as a team.

"I took one for the team today [Sunday], I will take one for the team tomorrow.

"It is not ideal for me as an athlete and a person, but that is a fact.

"The only thing that matters for me now to keep me going to the end of the year is I know that today [Sunday], I was supposed to win, and I could've won the race on equal terms."