Abiteboul backs Mercedes' team orders decision

Mercedes have taken plenty of criticism in recent weeks after ordering Valtteri Bottas to move aside at the Russian Grand Prix to allow his team mate Lewis Hamilton to take the race win and further extend his championship lead over Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel.

The win allowed Hamilton to extend his lead in the championship to 50 points at the time, with the lead now being at 67 points with four races to go, meaning it will take a mammoth effort for Vettel to drag himself back into the title battle.

The decision to ask Bottas to release Hamilton into the lead in Sochi was not a popular decision with fans, but many drivers, pundits and team members have defended the decision, claiming that Formula One is a team game and Bottas should be helping Hamilton to win his fifth world title.

And now Renault boss Cyril Abiteboul is the latest man to have his say on the affair, the Frenchman also defending the call: "I think how Mercedes manages the situation seems to be the most appropriate to me.