Bottas insists Turkish GP "focus" on himself rather than Hamilton

Valtteri Bottas has insisted he will focus on his own race and not seek to assist team-mate Lewis Hamilton after securing pole position for the Turkish Grand Prix.

Hamilton was fastest in qualifying at Istanbul Park but will take a 10-place grid penalty for an engine change, promoting Bottas to pole, with his team-mate's championship rival Max Verstappen alongside on the front row.

Bottas was matching Hamilton throughout qualifying as a damp track improved throughout the hour, eventually finishing 0.130s behind the championship leader.

"It was a good quali, not easy conditions especially in Q1, it was a bit on the edge with the damp parts in the first corner which and also turns three and four," said Bottas.

"The last lap, I missed a bit in the last sector with understeer but other than that, the lap was really nice and I enjoyed it.

"As a team result, it was as we had planned, so Lewis with his penalty, has the minimal penalty we can and I am on pole so it should be good."

Asked what the plan of attack for the race was given Mercedes' need to protect Hamilton's slender two-point lead to Verstappen, Bottas replied: "I will focus on my own race.

"That is the way to go when you start in front so I will try to keep up a good pace."

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