Bottas signs new one-year Mercedes deal

Valtteri Bottas has signed a new one-year contract with Mercedes that will see him race for the team in 2018.

Having previously raced for Williams, Bottas was brought in on an initial one-year deal as a replacement for 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg, who made the shock decision to retire at the end of last season. While Mercedes had been keen to wait to see how the driver market would unfold, Bottas has impressed and currently sits third in the drivers' championship with two victories to his name this season.

After new contracts were signed by Ferrari pair Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen last month, Mercedes has now handed Bottas a one-year extension to remain with the team next year.

Team boss Toto Wolff says it was "a no-brainer" to continue with the Finn next season, saying both his results and relationship with Lewis Hamilton were factors in the decision.

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"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," Wolff said. "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."

On top of his victories in Russia and Austria, Bottas has scored seven further podiums in his 13 races for Mercedes so far this season, and currently sits 41 points behind team-mate Hamilton in the drivers' championship.

Heading into this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix, Mercedes holds a 62-point lead over Ferrari in the constructors' standings following a one-two for the team in Italy.