After Lewis Hamilton announced his contract extension on Thursday, now Valtteri Bottas has followed suit signing a new deal with Mercedes.
Again this was a largely expected move with motorsport boss Toto Wolff indicating his satisfaction with the Finn despite having seen bad luck intervene to cost him almost certain victories on several occasions this season.
The latest contract is believed to be for 2019 with the option of continuing in 2020, something that was important for Bottas, who has three wins to his name since joining at the start of 2017.
“It is great news that I will be racing for Mercedes in 2019 and it is nice to announce it here in Hockenheim – not just the home race for Mercedes but also the circuit where I took my first ever single-seater wins back in 2007,” he said.
“This year, with a full winter of preparation, I have been able to make a good step forward – and I believe that there is still more to come. We have not been so lucky in the races this year but the team knows how I am performing, and this is a great sign of confidence in me and my driving.
“I enjoy working with the team, and also being teammates with Lewis – we have a good relationship, honest and straightforward, and always aiming to get the right results for Mercedes.”
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With speculation over the future’s of both drivers now resolved, the 28-year-old says the Brackley-based team can now fully focus on their tight battle with Ferrari for both championships, something he is keen to be a key contributor in.
“Obviously, my goal is to keep performing at a high level – and to make it a no-brainer for the team when it comes to deciding their plans for 2020 as well,” he added.
