Breaking news
Formula 1
Bottas secures Mercedes contract for 2018
The Mercedes Formula 1 team has extended Valtteri Bottas's contract for the 2018 season.
Glenn Freeman
Edited: Sep 13, 2017, 11:11 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Bottas was signed as a last-minute replacement for 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg, who shocked F1 when he announced his retirement a week after winning the title.
The Finn has won two races so far this year as he has settled in alongside Lewis Hamilton, and it has long been believed that an extension of the deal was just a formality.
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said: "We gave Valtteri a big challenge this year: joining the team at the eleventh hour, stepping up to the forefront of F1 and pairing with the sport's best driver as his teammate.
"With that in mind, his results have been probably even more impressive. There have been ups and downs - more ups, fewer downs - and some great highlights like his two race wins in Russian and Austria.
"Overall, the balance of his performances and his upward trajectory made it a no-brainer for us to continue with him into 2018. For our team, the bonus factors are the respect and sportsmanship that have grown between our two drivers.
"The chemistry and dynamic between Valtteri and Lewis work and are what we need to take the fight to our competitors."
By signing Bottas to another one year deal, Mercedes keeps its options open in the driver market for 2019, which Wolff has hinted in the past would play a role in the team's thinking.
Bottas, who sits third in the drivers' standings, added: "I am honoured and proud to continue to work with Mercedes in 2018 and to remain part of the Mercedes family.
"Together, we continue to grow stronger day by day, and by keeping up our hard work I believe the sky is the limit.
"Since joining the team in January, I've enjoyed every day working with them. As a driver, I've been able to learn and grow massively, and we have already enjoyed some really good moments this season that I will never forget.
"Partnering Lewis has also been really good, and I'm enjoying the respect we have and the will to push this team forward together.
"When the team hired me for the 2017 season, they took a leap of faith by putting their trust in my skills. This new contract for 2018 shows that I've earned that trust.
"I'm happy to have celebrated my first race wins in a Silver Arrow, however, there's always room for improvement and I still have not shown my full potential.
"I will continue to work hard on and off the track, to further improve my driving, get even better results and show that putting their trust in me was the right decision.
"I want to thank all the board members, the people at the factories in Brackley and Brixworth as well as the race team and all the fans for their support and trust. It means a lot to me."
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Mercedes F1 engine hits new benchmark on dyno
Next article Tales of a former Formula 1 Chief Mechanic
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Glenn Freeman
F1 2019 game to allow official driver transfers
Esports
Esports
F1 2019 game to allow official driver transfers
Albon keeps Toro Rosso on top in morning of Day 4
Formula 1
Formula 1
Barcelona February testing
Albon keeps Toro Rosso on top in morning of Day 4
Raikkonen fastest for Alfa on third morning of F1 test
Formula 1
Formula 1
Barcelona February testing
Raikkonen fastest for Alfa on third morning of F1 test
More from
Valtteri Bottas
Cadillac’s F1 brakes are still a problem: ‘I had to lift and coast on lap two’
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
1 h
Cadillac’s F1 brakes are still a problem: ‘I had to lift and coast on lap two’
Valtteri Bottas completes three-day jungle ride to Singapore GP: "Your mind starts to play games at night"
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
Valtteri Bottas completes three-day jungle ride to Singapore GP: "Your mind starts to play games at night"
You Ask The Questions: Valtteri Bottas
Formula 1
Canadian GP
You Ask The Questions: Valtteri Bottas
More from
Mercedes
‘I’ll put a pillow under his butt’ – How Toto Wolff wants to solve Kimi Antonelli’s track limits problem
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
‘I’ll put a pillow under his butt’ – How Toto Wolff wants to solve Kimi Antonelli’s track limits problem
George Russell calls Red Bull "the team to beat" in F1, but Kimi Antonelli adds a key caveat
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
George Russell calls Red Bull "the team to beat" in F1, but Kimi Antonelli adds a key caveat
Latest news
GT World Challenge Portimao: All you need to know about season finale featuring Max Verstappen
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance
WCEE GT World Challenge Europe Endurance 12 min
GT World Challenge Portimao: All you need to know about season finale featuring Max Verstappen
13 Autosport retains unchanged lineup for 2027 IMSA campaign, eyes global expansion
IMSA
IMSA IMSA 30 min
13 Autosport retains unchanged lineup for 2027 IMSA campaign, eyes global expansion
Bourdais, Moss headline second batch of Sebring's 75 all-time greatest drivers
IMSA
IMSA IMSA 47 min
Bourdais, Moss headline second batch of Sebring's 75 all-time greatest drivers
IndyCar driver and Fox Sports reporter Jack Harvey announces cancer diagnosis
IndyCar
Indy IndyCar 56 min
IndyCar driver and Fox Sports reporter Jack Harvey announces cancer diagnosis
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe