Valtteri Bottas has rejected suggestions he will become Mercedes' No.2 driver in order to back Lewis Hamilton's bid for this year's title.
The Mercedes pit wall asked Bottas to yield position to Hamilton at the Bahrain Grand Prix two weeks ago, reversing the order of the two drivers in the final stint to offer Hamilton a chance to attack race leader Sebastian Vettel for victory. After the race Bottas said he understood the reasons behind the order, but on his arrival in Russia ahead of this weekend's grand prix rejected the suggestion that he would become a No.