Valtteri Bottas cost Lewis Hamilton F1 title, Jolyon Palmer claims

Max Verstappen’s teammate, Sergio Perez, played a vital role in the race but Bottas failed to support Hamilton

Formula One commentator Jolyon Palmer believes Valtteri Bottas let down Lewis Hamilton in the decisive and dramatic final race of the season.

Max Verstappen passed Hamilton on the final lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to controversially clinch his maiden world championship after FIA race director Michael Masi ended the late safety car period.

However, Verstappen’s teammate at Red Bull, Sergio Perez, had already played a vital role in holding up Hamilton as the Briton looked to be on course to win his record-breaking eighth title.

After Hamilton made his first and only pit stop, he emerged from the pit lane behind Perez, who refused to be overtaken easily, with the pair’s duel allowing Verstappen to close the gap significantly.

However, Bottas offered Hamilton no such support, having fallen down the grid at the start of the race and become stuck in the pack.

“Bottas had a shocker,” said Palmer. “Now, did that cost Hamilton the title? If Bottas is within a pit-stop window of Verstappen, Verstappen is not having ‘free’ stops willy nilly.

“A great driver for the team for so many years, his last race he went missing and it meant Verstappen had a ‘free’ stop at the Virtual Safety Car, ‘free’ stop at the Safety Car.

“If you’ve got another Mercedes there within 23 seconds of him, in a car that’s quicker with Lewis Hamilton at the wheel, he can’t do it and Hamilton is the champion.

“Bottas has been solid but when it counted, he couldn’t help his teammate, and Perez did everything he possibly could, and he was in contention to do so.”