Mercedes has no plans to use team orders at Turn 1

Mercedes will discuss the start of the Monaco Grand Prix with its Formula 1 drivers as usual ahead of the race, but sees no reason to resort to team orders.

Lewis Hamilton pipped teammate Valtteri Bottas to pole position in Monte Carlo with a last-gasp effort as Mercedes once again locked-out the front row of the grid.

The German manufacturer has made it clear it is against imposing team orders on its drivers where possible, and Toto Wolff said Mercedes’ approach to the race will be no different to the past.

“We have this standard operating procedure and that is that we talk about Turn 1,” Wolff explained.

“This is something that we always do because I think it is important to go through the pictures and look at the risks and the various racing lines, and discuss it.

“But these two have been extremely respectful with each other and know the effort everyone in the team puts in, and so far, these discussions were just informative.”

Hamilton, who leads Bottas by seven points in the world championship, insists the pair will be “aggressive but respectful” as both drivers know the limits.

“We are only on full throttle for like two seconds or something like that, it’s very short,” Hamilton said.

“We don’t have team orders - we are currently fighting for a world championship. The great thing is that Toto and the team allow us to race and to battle it out and we are responsible.

“We always talk about Turn 1 and every scenario, whatever the track. We can be aggressive but respectful, we both want to be one and two and we know where the limits are.”

Mercedes is aiming to continue its best-ever start to an F1 season as it goes in search of a sixth consecutive one-two finish in Monaco.

Speaking about the start in Monaco, Bottas added: “For sure we always aim for a good start but here it’s a super short distance from start to the first corner so normally not many position changes.

“But obviously I’ll try to do a good start and as a team we want to be one-two again. Obviously for me then it’s going to be waiting for any opportunities that come up.”