Toto Wolff considers Valtteri Bottas victory at Azerbaijan Grand Prix an over due from last year.
Bottas had lead last year race at the same avenue, where hard luck hit him through a debris causing a puncture. He had to pull-over and retire from the race ruining his chance of victory.
Fortunately, he was able to finish this year race at the same venue.
Lewis Hamilton asserted himself at the start of the race but Finn managed to take the lead and was able to manage till his victory.
“It’s certainly redemption for him,” said Wolff. “There was debris again, but redemption for him certainly.”
Wolff rejected the notion that there is any team order in place.
Mercedes team principal asserted that both drivers are free to race and assert their presence on track, which they have been doing so far.
“Absolutely. We just told them to take it easy at the beginning because we didn’t know how the mediums would last. At the end they were free to go, yeah,” he said. “It got a bit racy at the end which is good also.
“Both of them are really good under pressure. You can see, neither of them made a mistake. I hope they can maintain that to the end of the season.”
Bottas always try to manage and control things. But he insisted that this race has not been what he would have liked to be.
At the end of the race, he spoke to media and said, “It was actually a tough race. Lewis was putting pressure on all the time so I couldn’t do any mistakes.
“Honestly I think at the start I was just a tiny bit too cautious on the drive-out phase,” he referred to his battle at first two corners.
“Lewis had a better start. But I was on the outside so I knew if I carried the speed at the same time I knew I could be fair and leave space. Same thin in turn 2. But it was nice and clean from both of us, which we all expect, so that was good.”
Bottas remained vigilant through out the race because Hamilton was tailing him especially in last three laps of the race.
“He was for sure trying everything he could to win his race,” Bottas said. “I knew I just had to focus on my own performance, on driving. Honestly I just took it corner by corner, not really thinking about the number of laps or whatever.
“But everything was under control and I’m happy to receive the flag and get first place,” he acknowledged.
Hamilton maintained the second position. The first two positions in the four races have place Mercedes on a record of the best results. The managed to generate 74 points lead on the constructor standing.
“It’s incredible for the team, this kind of level we are performing at now,” he said. “I’m so proud to be part of it, we’re all performing really really well and I hope it carries on.”
