2018 Russian Grand Prix - Sochi Autodrom, 28 - 30 September

[NathanOlder]

It appears the Ferrari fans have realised its over today. Some angry people about.

Time for some Golf now. Come on Europe!

[Phil]

Well to be fair; if there is a concern that they might have to take a penalty at some point, the team order makes sense (from a teams and WDC perspective) and you’d also have to keep quiet about it, as you wouldnt want to tip anyone off.

[Big Tea]

I do not like it, but Guys, ALL the teams are there for the same thing. It had to be done.

I feel really sorry for Bottas, but I hope they do give him another years contract because he has been the perfect team player and not even bitched about it.

Nice to see Hamilton call him onto the top step to receive his trophy too, shows he acknowledges who's win it was

[GrandAxe]

It was a great gesture from Lewis to pull Bottas up to the top step of the podium. It was a sh*t decision from Merc to swap them.
Well, things happen, the Merc is a slower car, perhaps Toto panicked.

In any event, Lewis can now have two DNF's and still be in with a fighting chance. Even worse, Vettel looks a happy bunny now that the pressure is off; he's been smiling away like a hippy on happy stuff.

Can we say "bye bye 2018"?

[siskue2005]

Well to be fair; if there is a concern that they might have to take a penalty at some point, the team order makes sense (from a teams and WDC perspective) and you’d also have to keep quiet about it, as you wouldnt want to tip anyone off.

Perhaps USA would be the better to take a penalty? surely in Japan it will be really difficult

[Zynerji]

What happened to the Toro Rosso cars?

[MtthsMlw]

What happened to the Toro Rosso cars?

Brakes failed.

[GrandAxe]

Lewis did say over the radio that his engine was hesitating - maybe that triggered the swap in case there's a DNF/penalty down the line.

[Cuky]

It was a great gesture from Lewis to pull Bottas up to the top step of the podium. It was a sh*t decision from Merc to swap them

Interestingly for that same gesture in Austria 2002 Ferrari was booed by the fans, fined by the FIA with $1m and team orders were banned at the end of the season.

But this time it was Mercedes and "we have the best fans here" Hamilton, so it is now "a great gesture" and there will be no fines at all

[siskue2005]

I do not like it, but Guys, ALL the teams are there for the same thing. It had to be done.

I feel really sorry for Bottas, but I hope they do give him another years contract because he has been the perfect team player and not even bitched about it.

Nice to see Hamilton call him onto the top step to receive his trophy too, shows he acknowledges who's win it was

yes even as a merc fan i was hoping they would ask lewis to move over.....but from championship point of view now he is 2DNFs ahead, which would cement the WDC for him ...and surely even as i type it, Toto is promising a win back in the last race from Lewis after he won the WDC...and also some bonus and contract extensions etc

[PlatinumZealot]

Will this be the first time ever Hamilton is going to be gifted a win by his team mate?

Yes it is the first. Sort of Schumacheresque is a bad way... but it Toto who is to blame.

[siskue2005]

It was a great gesture from Lewis to pull Bottas up to the top step of the podium. It was a sh*t decision from Merc to swap them

Interestingly for that same gesture in Austria 2002 Ferrari was booed by the fans, fined by the FIA with $1m and team orders were banned at the end of the season.

But this time it was Mercedes and "we have the best fans here" Hamilton, so it is now "a great gesture" and there will be no fines at all

lets see, that was just 5th race of the season and on a special season like 2013, 2004 dominant year with Schumy having virtually no competition and they asked Rubens to move over.....that is why there was booing.

Podium fiasco was Schumy pulling Rubens on to the top podium at the begining itself before the anthems or price distribution. here Lewis did it after the podium session was over

See the difference?

[Big Tea]

I do not like it, but Guys, ALL the teams are there for the same thing. It had to be done.

I feel really sorry for Bottas, but I hope they do give him another years contract because he has been the perfect team player and not even bitched about it.

Nice to see Hamilton call him onto the top step to receive his trophy too, shows he acknowledges who's win it was

yes even as a merc fan i was hoping they would ask lewis to move over.....but from championship point of view now he is 2DNFs ahead, which would cement the WDC for him ...and surely even as i type it, Toto is promising a win back in the last race from Lewis after he won the WDC...and also some bonus and contract extensions etc

Or at least paid the win bonus ( and a special trophy, full of cash)

[Bill_Kar]

It was a great gesture from Lewis to pull Bottas up to the top step of the podium. It was a sh*t decision from Merc to swap them

Interestingly for that same gesture in Austria 2002 Ferrari was booed by the fans, fined by the FIA with $1m and team orders were banned at the end of the season.

But this time it was Mercedes and "we have the best fans here" Hamilton, so it is now "a great gesture" and there will be no fines at all

Well, team and driver are two different entities at the end of the day. Watching Austria I was happy that Schumacher acknowledged the fact that Rubens should win, like Hamilton today. Kudos to those two, the team managers should only be blamed.

[Steven]

It was a great gesture from Lewis to pull Bottas up to the top step of the podium. It was a sh*t decision from Merc to swap them

Interestingly for that same gesture in Austria 2002 Ferrari was booed by the fans, fined by the FIA with $1m and team orders were banned at the end of the season.

But this time it was Mercedes and "we have the best fans here" Hamilton, so it is now "a great gesture" and there will be no fines at all

Not really... Schumacher pulled Barrichello on the top step, and he stepped down to the second step. It stayed that way until after the national hymn, when Barrichello, after enduring boos, pulled Schumacher back up again.

So, not really the same.