Ex-F1 racer David Coulthard has suggested Valtteri Bottas’ actions in Barcelona may indicate Mercedes are not keeping him for 2022.

At the Spanish Grand Prix, Max Verstappen was able to snatch the lead from Lewis Hamilton at the start and although the Briton remained very much in touch from there, making the pass was proving difficult as it often does at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

So Mercedes decided to pit Hamilton for a second time, believing tyre life advantage would be the key to finally breaching Verstappen’s defence.

Ultimately the plan worked, but Hamilton did encounter some resistance along the way in the form of his Mercedes team-mate, Valtteri Bottas.