Lewis Hamilton haters urged to "question themselves" as Valtteri Bottas defends Mercedes team-mate

Hungarian Grand Prix

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Hamilton haters urged to "question themselves" as Bottas defends Mercedes team-mate

Bottas qualified second only to Hamilton in Hungary

Ian Parkes

Saturday 31 July 2021 18:27 Updated: 18:37

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Valtteri Bottas has launched a vigorous defence of Lewis Hamilton after his Mercedes team-mate was booed and jeered by F1 fans after qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Hamilton came under fire and was racially abused online after his collision with Max Verstappen on lap one of the British Grand Prix a fortnight ago.

The British driver then also engaged in "gamesmanship", according to Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, in the closing stages of qualifying when he backed up both Verstappen and team-mate Sergio Perez.

It led to Perez failing to cross the line in time to set a second hot lap.

As Hamilton was interviewed trackside post-race by Johnny Herbert, the boos were loud and long, leading to the seven-time champion claiming he was "fuelled" by such derision.

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Bottas was left dismayed by such scorn. He said: "I don't normally say [anything] about these kinds of things, or what I think.

"But I heard a lot of booing at the end of the qualifying and I don't understand it.

"I would like the people to question themselves, their behaviour, because I don't think it's fair.

"We are here as athletes to give every single little bit we have for the sport we love.

"Lewis did an amazing lap at the end, then he was booed, so to the people, just question yourself.

"It's not right, it's not fair, and we don't want to see these kinds of things."

Bottas prepared for "good battle" with Red Bull

Bottas, meanwhile, has claimed "it's all to play for" after securing a front-row grid slot alongside Hamilton for only the second time this year.

With Verstappen and Perez starting on the soft compound on row two and with the Mercedes pair on the medium tyres, Bottas is expecting a fierce battle.

"Tomorrow will be exciting," he added. "The Red Bulls are on the soft tyres and we're on the mediums so it is all to play for and it's going to be a good battle but I'm looking forward to it."

Completing two runs on medium tyres in Q2, Bottas conceded he struggled when switching back to the softer rubber in Q3.

Explaining how this affected his pole attempt, he explained: "I have to say a little bit in Q2 I lost the rhythm slightly when we used the medium tyres.

"It wasn't easy to get back to the rhythm with the soft tyres. The difference was pretty big.

"At least it's a front-row lockout and Lewis had a really good run on the first lap unlike me. It's good to be two Mercedes at the front."