Mercedes boss liked radio outburst of Bottas towards his team
Jun.21 - Toto Wolff says Valtteri Bottas' foul-mouthed rant at Mercedes' strategy team during the French GP was "great".
When the one-stop strategy ended his chances of a podium result, the Finnish driver exploded over the radio: "Why the f*ck does no one listen to me when I say it's going to be a two-stopper?"
However, given the swirling speculation about Bottas' future, former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher was surprised the 31-year-old would be so forthright.
"I'm amazed that he dared to do that. In his place, I'd be very quiet at the moment," he told Sky Deutschland.
Schumacher also hit out at Bottas' defence of his position whilst racing Max Verstappen, insisting that "You learn in karting not to do something like that".
"Max made fun of him with the oldest trick in the book," said the German.
2016 world champion Rosberg also slammed Bottas' driving at Paul Ricard for the same reason.
"Ok, he couldn't do much, but what he did do he did very badly," he said.
Schumacher continued: "He probably knows he's gone anyway. If I was Toto Wolff, Valtteri would already not be a Mercedes driver."
But team boss Wolff said after Sunday's race that he has a different view about Bottas' driving and radio outburst.
"I think it's great - finally he's criticising, finally Valtteri lets something out. Honestly, it's a pleasure," said the Austrian.
"Valtteri drove extremely strongly so I see a good development there. The race actually speaks in his favour.
"What that means for the coming year is still too early to say both for Valtteri and for George (Russell)."
Rosberg, however, thinks Wolff was simply being pragmatic amid Mercedes' difficult head-to-head with Red Bull for the 2021 world titles.
"Toto needs him as the second driver so that he can help Lewis and have a chance in the constructors' championship," said the former Mercedes driver.
"He will finish the season anyway and I still see a good chance that he will still be in the cockpit next year. He is simply a safe driver for the team."
Others, though, think Bottas' replacement by Russell for 2022 is more likely.
"They built Russell up so at some point they have to use him," former Sauber team boss Monisha Kaltenborn told Sport1. "Otherwise, why else did they build him up?
"You don't want to build up a talent like that only for others to always benefit from it."
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"They built Russell up so at some point they have to use him," former Sauber team boss Monisha Kaltenborn told Sport1. "Otherwise, why else did they build him up?"
MB did the same thing with OCO, too. RUS's future in the silver car (used to be) is still not secure. IMO, it depends on HAM's decision to continue. HAM/BOT or BOT/RUS are the likely outcomes.
I think it will depend on MB board of D to a large degree too, if Hammy gets beat, then hell stop, he wont want two defeats on his card IMO
I take the opposite POV. I think that HAM wants #8 far more than he admits and that would be his motivation to continue. BUT, let's not write him off in 2021 just yet. Now that the Jaxategist experiment is trash MB might yet be successful.
Oh i dont doubt he wants #8, as it gives him a good hand in negotiations for 22 but the BOD want fresh blood for the next 5-8-10 yrs and Hamster cant give them that, i just thought that if he gets beat this yr, it puts his card rate lower for 22 and would he want a potential last 2 yrs winning nowt?, ive no doubt that Torger is struggling with this, for all his experience, whatever that may have been on the BOD at williams this will test him, but the BOD at MB are far more clinical and cut throat than he may be, and yes i agree aslong as Jax keeps out of the garage at races they stand half a chance of rescuing 2021
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