Lewis Hamilton returns third place to Valtteri Bottas at the final corner

Mercedes used a team order at the 2017 Hungarian Grand Prix, then reversed it in public view. Lewis Hamilton was allowed past Valtteri Bottas to attack the Ferraris, failed to make the pass and returned third place at the final corner, giving away three championship points because he had promised he would.

Ferrari controlled the race at the Hungaroring, with Sebastian Vettel leading Kimi Räikkönen despite a steering problem. Bottas ran third for Mercedes, while Hamilton had greater pace but was trapped behind his team-mate on a circuit where following closely and overtaking were difficult.

A temporary swap

Hamilton asked Mercedes for the opportunity to attack Räikkönen. Bottas moved aside after receiving an assurance that the places would be restored if Hamilton could not pass.

The attempt did not work. Hamilton closed on Räikkönen but could not find a way through. Backmarkers then increased the gap between the Mercedes drivers, creating the risk that returning the position would expose Hamilton to Max Verstappen behind.

Mercedes maintained the agreement. At the final corner of the final lap, Hamilton slowed and allowed Bottas through to take third. Hamilton crossed the line fourth, still ahead of Verstappen.

Three points placed behind a promise

The decision was unusual because Hamilton was fighting Vettel for the championship. Third place was worth 15 points and fourth 12, and the result left him 14 points behind the Ferrari driver entering the summer break.

Hamilton later said he wanted to win the title in the right way, while acknowledging that the decision might feel different if the championship were lost by a small margin. It was not. He recovered after the break and secured the championship with two races remaining.

The position swap therefore did not decide the title, but it remained a rare example of a team order being treated as a loan rather than a transfer. Mercedes had made a promise over the radio, and Hamilton paid it back at the last possible corner.