Official: Mercedes extends Bottas for 2018

With his 197 points and provisional third place in the World Drivers’ Championship, Valtteri Bottas has managed to convince his team to keep him for the 2018 season.

Indeed, Mercedes has just announced the extension of the Finnish driver’s contract for an additional year, still allowing for an opportunity for the 2019 season.

Of course, Toto Wolff didn’t need to justify this decision much, as Bottas’ results speak for themselves: « We offered Valtteri quite a challenge this year by having him join our team at the last minute, racing at the top of the grid and pitting him against the best driver in the discipline. In light of all this, his results are all the more impressive. There have been ups and downs, more ups than downs, and some intense moments like his two victories in Russia and Austria. As a result, this balance between his performances and his upward trajectory didn’t cause us any concerns when it came to extending his contract for 2018. »

Of course, the perfect working relationship between Bottas and Hamilton was a significant factor: « For our team, the bonus factor is the respect and team spirit between our two drivers. The chemistry and dynamics between Valtteri and Lewis work, and that’s what we need to fight against our rivals. » confirms Wolff.

An agreement also highlighted by Valtteri Bottas, who hopes to be able to fight against Lewis for the championship title until the end: « Being associated with Lewis has been very good, and I appreciate the respect we have and the willingness to move this team forward together. When the team hired me for the 2017 season, they took a risk by putting their trust in my skills. This new contract for 2018 shows that I have earned that trust. I am happy to have celebrated my first victory in a Silver Arrow, but there is always room for improvement and I have not yet shown my full potential. »