Bottas grid penalty? Mercedes confirm status of car after Mexico crash

Mercedes have confirmed they expect Valtteri Bottas will not have to serve a grid penalty at the Mexican Grand Prix, despite a significant rebuild job following his crash in qualifying.

Bottas lost control of his car in the last sector of his second flying lap and got stuck in the barrier, before thudding into a tyre wall that jutted out at the start of the pit-straight.

The Finn revealed he suffered knee pain as a result and the impact left him breathless over team radio as Mercedes checked on his condition.

With Lewis Hamilton bumped up to third place on the grid by Max Verstappen's penalty for ignoring yellow flags after Bottas' incident, the Finn's faint title hopes could have moved towards being extinguished had he had to drop down the starting order.

However, Mercedes said in a team update: "We expect to be able to start without penalty from his grid slot - barring any unforeseen surprises between now and then."

Team principal Toto Wolff had said on Saturday that he was "90 per cent" certain that Bottas would be able to start from his earned grid position.

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