Lewis Hamilton🅘 say๊s it “crossed his mind” to hand back the lead of the Russian Grand Prix to Mercedes Formula 1 teammate Valtteri Bottas in the closing stages.

Polesitter Bottas was instructed to alജlow Hamilton past at the half-wa🅺y stage of Sunday’s Russian Grand Prix, enabling the Briton to take the win and further extend his advantage at the top of the drivers’ championship.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff described using team orders as being the “harsh reality” for Bottas as the Finn was denied a victory he arguably deserved, while Hamilton admitted he ܫfelt unea🐬sy about the situation.

“It crosse𒀰d my mind and I was really thinking about it,” he told reporters when asked if he had considered letting Bottas back through before the end of the race.

“In the last 12 laps I was thinking ‘this feels so weird being in the lead’ and it just didn’t feel great. Budapest from last year was replying in my mind but I rꦜemember the team also saying the result we need this weeke🔯nd.

“We need those 10 points, because if the car breaks down, or we lose two engines and we𝓀 lose the championship by one or three points we would look𝕴 back to this day and say we didn’t work as a team – which we are.

“That was their𓄧 reasoning, a⭕s hard as it is to swallow.”

Following post-race celebrations that were noticeably subdued, Hamilton said the 70th grand prix win of his career ranks among those he is “least proud of” as he p🅺layed tribute to Bottas.

“It’s honestly the strangest day I can remember having in the sport, in my career to 🌄be honest,” Hamilton explained.

“It’s very odd to feel down b🌊ut you also have to feel grateful for all the guys working back in the factory to make a 1-2 like this possible. We have to embrace this. It’s definitely a win on my list of wins that I’m least proud 🍰of.

“There are stronger heads in the team who are like ‘we have to win’. It’s about winning both champ🍸ionships and they don’t care how, it do𓄧esn’t matter who is ahead.

“Ultimately it’s really important to acknowledge Valtteri,” he added. “He was just the ulওtimate gentleman. As racing dr𒊎ivers we exist to win, and if we don’t, it’s like you’ve taken our air away, taken our life away - it’s that deep.

“I would never wish it upon someone else and I would never ask for it from someone else ever. I made sure⛄ when we were in the meeting before with Toto and t🦹he guys I was like ‘this is not how I want to win’.

“But today he was an incredibleဣ gentleman and the team took the decision.”

Hamilton now leads Vettel in the title race by 50 points with just 125 left up for grabs in the final five races. ꦇ;