HOCKENHEIM, Germany -- Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has defended his decision to call off the battle between his drivers in the closing stages of the German Grand Prix.
After rain turned Sunday's race on its head, Sebastian Vettel crashed out of the lead and presented Mercedes with a shot at victory. Valtteri Bottas had been leading teammate Lewis Hamilton up to that point, but when a Safety Car was deployed to clear Vettel's car Bottas made a pit stop and dropped behind his teammate.
That meant Hamilton and Bottas were in first and second at the restart, albeit with Bottas on fresher tyres than Hamilton and in a position to attack on a drying track.