Bottas Joins Hamilton in New Mercedes Contract

[Paul Jeffrey]

Valtteri Bottas secures himself a one-year extension with the Mercedes F1 team, remaining with the outfit until the end of the 2019 Formula One season.

Bottas, 28, today confirmed he will remain with the AMG Mercedes Formula One team for the 2019 Grand Prix season, securing a new one year deal with the option for a further year just days after Lewis Hamilton committed his future to the German squad.

2018 has been a difficult season for Bottas so far, with mechanical issues and bad luck going a long way to mask what has been a generally strong run of form for the Finnish driver, currently 59 points behind his team leader, fifth overall in the drivers standings.

"It's nice that it's now official" said Bottas of the announcement today. "Never in my career so far I have known at this point already for next year, so that's positive.

"I felt like a small amount of pressure went off my shoulders. I didn't want to think about it but now it is a good situation for us as a team.

"We can now focus on the rest of the year. It is going to be a tough battle between two, maybe even three teams. We need to stay focused and need to keep pushing."
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With the new deal guaranteeing Bottas a drive next year, with a potential further extension available for 2020, yet another door seems to be closed for Australian Daniel Ricciardo, the Red Bull driver looking increasingly likely to remain at the Austrian team next year despite his obvious reservations about the move to Honda power for 2019.

With Mercedes confirmed and Red Bull all but certain to remain unchanged next year, it will be down to Ferrari to make the final big move in the driver market ahead of the 2019 Formula One season...

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[TrumpetReich]

Good for him. Although I don't see him winning a title, hes a good driver, he just happens to be competing alongside great drivers.

 

[Terry Rock]

I like this guy's character. He deserved the drive as well. It can't be easy to jump to a new team with one of the fastest guys as your teammate. People will always have unreal expectations right from the word 'go'. I think he is doing good work.

 

[wombat999]

And I'll bet he is getting nothing like Hamilton's ridiculous payment.
Good to know one of the more likeable characters remains in a competitive car.

 

[apex11]

Good for him. Although I don't see him winning a title, hes a good driver, he just happens to be competing alongside great drivers.

But yet if he was still in the Williams he'd be at the back......go figure.
In the list of F1 drivers i'd put Bottas in at about 8th. Yet he is in a car that can get him poles and top 3 finishes.....and he is rarely destroyed by the guy everyone calls the greatest ever....
It is such an uneven series it's almost pointless from a driver perspective....

BTW i am not 12 so you can press disagree all you want, i don't give a crap, so fill your boots...

 

[Terry Rock]

Bottas had more than a few good 'showings' relative to the car's performance, when he drove for Williams.
It's the reason why Mercedes...who could have chosen just about any driver on the grid...chose him.
He is a very capable driver.
Sure! the car is good, but he does a good job as well.
Williams might not still be at the back of the grid, had they chosen at least one good feedback, development driver.

 

[HAMALO]

Thx to Hamilton he got a one year contract that was one of Hamilton agreement when he sign the contract

 

[apex11]

Bottas had more than a few good 'showings' relative to the car's performance, when he drove for Williams.
It's the reason why Mercedes...who could have chosen just about any driver on the grid...chose him.
He is a very capable driver.
Sure! the car is good, but he does a good job as well.
Williams might not still be at the back of the grid, had they chosen at least one good feedback, development driver.

Do you even follow F1?
After Nico left Merc Bottas was about the only driver they could get. Merc knew full well that they could put about any driver in that car and it could be on podiums though....
Thank Christ Ferrari have sorted themselves out a bit and if Red Bull had an equal engine i think they would be beating both Merc and Ferrari...

 

[Terry Rock]

Do you even follow F1?
After Nico left Merc Bottas was about the only driver they could get. Merc knew full well that they could put about any driver in that car and it could be on podiums though....
Thank Christ Ferrari have sorted themselves out a bit and if Red Bull had an equal engine i think they would be beating both Merc and Ferrari...

Either you are joking...or you are extremely naive to think Mercedes couldn't buy most drivers on the grid out of their contracts or offer engine reduction cost to teams in exchange for their current pilots.

 

[apex11]

Either you are joking...or you are extremely naive to think most drivers on the grid wouldn't have jumped at the opportunity to get that seat...even to the point of breaking contracts.

Oh dear...
I agree every driver would of wanted that seat maybe bar Vettel as he is loving the Ferrari family and driving the red....
Also Lewis would not of allowed some drivers even if they could break a contract (they couldn't).

 

[Terry Rock]

Lewis...(good as he is)...doesn't run the Mercedes team and he sure as heck isn't about to walk away from the vast sums of money he gets paid, to go to some other team with 'lesser' machinery.

 

[paracletus]

View attachment 260807
Valtteri Bottas secures himself a one-year extension with the Mercedes F1 team, remaining with the outfit until the end of the 2019 Formula One season.

It is probably the case the Mercedes would have chosen DR as first choice, but when looking at some facts, Botass did deserve this extension of contract and indeed his seat with Mercedes in the first place:
2013: Botass 4 Maldonardo 1 (beat the legend )
2014: Botass 186 Massa 134 (4th in championship)
2015: Botass 136 Massa 121
2016: Botass 85 Massa 53

Very clear to see why the driver is highly regarded by those involved with the sport.
Has dips in form like every other driver, but generally very consistent.

 

[apex11]

Lewis...(good as he is)...doesn't run the Mercedes team and he sure as heck isn't about to walk away from the vast sums of money he gets paid, to go to some other team with 'lesser' machinery.

Well exactly and if he had stayed at McLaren he would not of won a race in 4 odd seasons let alone won the WDC......go figure....F1 is all about the car/team....who knew.

 

[HAMALO]

Do you even follow F1?
After Nico left Merc Bottas was about the only driver they could get. Merc knew full well that they could put about any driver in that car and it could be on podiums though....
Thank Christ Ferrari have sorted themselves out a bit and if Red Bull had an equal engine i think they would be beating both Merc and Ferrari...

If if doesnt count my friend. Even Redbull would had better engine still they have to beat Hamilton. Hamilton is just a class apart

 

[apex11]

If if doesnt count my friend. Even Redbull would had better engine still they have to beat Hamilton. Hamilton is just a class apart

Lol........ So had Lewis stayed with McLaren he'd still of won those 3 Merc WDC?
Is that what you are saying?