Bottas did "perfect job" slowing field before pit-stop, Mercedes claim

Mercedes are adamant Valtteri Bottas did everything in his power to ensure he didn't lose a track position when the Silver Arrows pitted both of its drivers under the safety car during the Monaco Grand Prix.

Bottas was a place behind team-mate Lewis Hamilton at the time, and he slowed the field down as they approached the pits, to ensure Mercedes had enough time to work its magic on Hamilton's car beforehand.

However, Mercedes motorsport strategy director, James Vowles, revealed Hamilton hit a wheel gun as he left the pit-box, causing a delay to Bottas' tyre change.

“When you come in for a ‘double stack’ Safety Car [pit stop], what’s really important is making a gap between your cars so that the first car can be serviced in the pit lane and the second one can slot straight in,” Vowles said. “And Valtteri did that perfectly on track.