With the shocking retirement of Nico Rosberg at the end of the 2016 Formula One season, Mercedes was in a frantic search for their replacement. They signed Valtteri Bottas to the team at the last minute, with some believing that he would only stay with the team for a single season. However, he seems to have done alright with the team, with his contract having been extended for 2018.
The news came on Wednesday, with Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport officially confirming that the Finn would remain with the team through 2018. It was widely assumed that he would stay with the team, with the announcement only confirming the obvious.
Toto Wolff, the Mercedes team boss, had this to say about the partnership:
“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 team-mate. 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.”
Along with his two career victories in Russia and Austria this season, the 28-year-old has also earned two pole positions in season in Bahrain and Austria. He has also achieved nine podium finishes during his time at Mercedes.
The tension in the Mercedes garage seems to have dissipated since Rosberg’s exit. Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg were notorious for an almost Senna-Prost level rivalry. Bottas and Hamilton appear to be meshing together much nicer this season.
“I am honoured and proud to continue to work with Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport in 2018 and to remain part of the Mercedes family,” explained Valtteri Bottas. “Together, we continue to grow stronger day by day, and by keeping up our hard work I believe the sky is the limit.”
