Lewis Hamilton's success in the Russian Grand Prix ultimately came at the expense of Valtteri Bottas.Mercedes earned a 1-2 finish and it was no surprise what order their two drivers finished in.Frustratingly, the Finn had been leading his team-mate but when it emerged that Hamilton had picked up blisters on his rear tyres, team orders dictated that he be allowed past to prevent him falling behind in his challenge with Sebastian Vettel.It's far from the first time Bottas has been placed in such a difficult position and the tension was audible.Mercedes boss Toto Wolff could be heard on the radio telling him:"Valtteri, this is Toto. It was a difficult day for you and a difficult day for us. Let's discuss it after the race."The 29-year-old's face said it all afterwards, in spite of Hamilton's attempts to be diplomatic by insisting he took no pleasure from winning in that manner.Indeed, the world champion also suggested he had tried to help Bottas once he had been told of the team's orders.

Hamilton reveals his exchange with Mercedes 

"When I got the call that they had said that to Valtteri I just said - and I don't know if you heard me - but I just said, 'tell him to speed up'.

"So they told me on the radio that Valtteri is going to let you go, which is not what I wanted and I just said 'just tell him to speed up' as I had Sebastian [Vettel] on my tail.

"Naturally, passing him did not feel good in that instant in turn 13 and I didn't know what was planned for the end, I was waiting to get some news or something like that.

"But I knew the team wanted it to end that way, if they made that call. But honestly, it's very hard to find the right words, it's a very strange feeling to have had a 1-2, we dominated as a team this weekend, the team has done an incredible job.

"It's never ever, in my whole life, been the way I wanted to win a race. I just want to shine it onto Valtteri, there's not many team-mates that would do something like that."

Justice might have been better served had Bottas been allowed his victory, but come the end of the F1 season, the team's decision may well be looked at differently.

And while on the one hand, he took it all in good grace, there was no denying he was angry at having to pull back.

"For the team, it's always better that Lewis wins, that's how it goes," he said afterwards.

"It's not ideal for me as an athlete, as a person, but that's a fact."

Hamilton is now in an almost unassailable position with a 50-point lead with just five races to go. 

Do you think Mercedes were right to make the call? Have your say in the comments.