Wolff: Bottas mistake won't influence at all the decision

Bottas locked his brakes racing into Turn 1, a few hundred metres from the start at Hungaroring on Sunday, as a result, several drivers were affected, with the Finn's race ending on the spot as well as Lando Norris (McLaren) and Sergio Perez (Red Bull) while title contender Mas Verstappen was forced to race with "half a car" after damage sustained in the melee.

Asked by F1.com if that would be a factor in sending Bottas packing, Wolff replied: “No, the mistake was unfortunate with big consequences. He got sandwiched by the two cars in front, lost all downforce and then it was already too late, and, it won't influence at all the decision.

A difficult start for Valtteri; he suffered wheelspin off the line and found himself sandwiched into the first corner and missed the braking point. A small mistake with large consequences and damage to several cars, and I'm sorry to McLaren and Red Bull - to lose out in an accident like that at the start of the race is tough to take,” said the team boss.

Bottas had earlier said that "one race will influence anything" regarding his contract beyond 2020, but inevitably it adds to a growing catalogue of incidents that have resulted in him enduring his worst championship campaign since he joined Mercedes in 2017, as teammate to Lewis Hamilton.

However the pair get on and, it is well known that Hamilton would prefer to keep the line-up as it is, but on the sidelines, George Russell has more than made a case for a big team to snap him up with Mercedes the most likely to do so.