Valtteri Bottas signs contract extension at Mercedes

Reigning Formula One constructors’ champion Mercedes has locked down its options for next season’s starting grid by securing the signature of Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas.

The deal will see Bottas compete for Mercedes for a third season, with an option for a further year in 2020.

It also comes the day after four-time champion Lewis Hamilton signed a lucrative two-year deal with the German outfit.

“I enjoy working with the team, and also being teammates with Lewis – we have a good relationship, honest and straightforward, and always aiming to get the right results for Mercedes,” said 28-year-old Finn.

“This year, with a full winter of preparation, I have been able to make a good step forward – and I believe that there is still more to come.

“We have not been so lucky in the races this year but the team knows how I am performing, and this is a great sign of confidence in me and my driving.”

Lewis Hamilton sprays second-placed Sebastian Vettel with champagne after winning the Abu Dhabi season-ending race, 11th of his title winning season.

Lewis Hamilton celebrates his 10th win of the season as he takes the Brazilian GP ahead of Max Verstappen and Kimi Raikkonen.

Lewis Hamilton savors the moment after clinching his fifth F1 world title with fourth place behind Max Verstappen in the Mexican Grand Prix.

Race winner Kimi Raikkonen is flanked by second-placed Max Verstappen (far left) and Lewis Hamilton, who finished third after a thrilling US Grand Prix. Hamilton increased his title lead to 70 points over Sebastian Vettel ahead of the final three rounds of the championship.

Race winner Lewis Hamilton had plenty to celebrate after claiming victory in the Japanese GP at Suzuka to lead the world championship by 67 points with four rounds remaining.

Lewis Hamilton (no 44) overtook fellow Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas under team orders on his way to a decisive victory in the 2018 F1 title race as he extended his advantage over Sebastian Vettel to 50 points.

Lewis Hamilton led from pole position in his famous No.44 Mercedes and took his seventh victory of the season on the Marina Bay street circuit in Singapore.

Hamilton stormed to a record-equalling fifth Italian Grand Prix victory -- overtaking both Ferraris in the process.

Lewis Hamilton celebrates with the trophy on the podium after winning the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring near Budapest to extend his title lead over Sebastian Vettel to 24 points.

Hamilton celebrates an extraordinary comeback win at the German Grand Prix to give him a 17-point championship lead as title rival Sebastian Vettel crashed out

Dutch driver Max Verstappen claims a dramatic victory at the home of Red Bull Racing. But how does that impact the Drivers' Championship?

Melbourne, Australia -- 'Lucky' Vettel wins season opener —

Sebastian Vettel took full advantage of a bizarre incident involving both cars of the American-owned Haas team to claim the opening race of the 2018 Formula One season in Australia.

Drivers' title race after round 1 —

Vettel -- 25 points
Hamilton -- 18 points
Raikonnen -- 15 points

Sakhir, Bahrain -- Ferrari win soured by injured mechanic —

Vettel won for the second time in as many races at the Bahrain Grand Prix. But the Italian team's victory was overshadowed after one of its mechanics suffered a broken leg when he was hit by Kimi Raikkonen's car during a pit stop.

Drivers' title race after round 2 —

Vettel -- 50 points
Hamilton -- 33 points
Bottas -- 22 points

Shanghai, China —

An inspired Daniel Ricciardo claimed a remarkable and unexpected victory from sixth on the grid after a tactical masterstroke by his Red Bull team in Shanghai, with furious championship leader Vettel back in eighth place.

Drivers' title race after round 3 —

Vettel -- 54 points
Hamilton -- 45 points
Bottas -- 40 points

Baku, Azerbaijan -- Red Bull drivers shockingly crash as Hamilton triumphs —

Lewis Hamilton was the chief beneficiary of a late puncture suffered by his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas as he clinched his first win of the season at April's action-packed Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Drivers' title race after round 4 —

Hamilton -- 70 points
Vettel -- 66 points
Raikkonen -- 48 points

Barcelona, Spain -- Lewis Hamilton leads Mercedes one-two —

After his unlikely victory in Azerbaijan, it was a second straight win for Hamilton as he bids for a fifth world championship -- and it could not have been more comfortable.

Drivers' title race after round 5 —

Hamilton -- 95 points
Vettel -- 78 points
Bottas -- 57 points

Monaco -- Redemption for Ricciardo —

Ricciardo nursed his ailing Red Bull to a remarkable victory on the streets of Monte Carlo and with it made up for his 2016 heartbreak on the same circuit.

Drivers' title race after round 6 —

Hamilton -- 110 points
Vettel -- 96 points
Ricciardo -- 72 points

Canada -- Vettel wins to take title initiative —

Sebastian Vettel's 50th career victory saw him replace Lewis Hamilton at the top of the championship standings to cap an emotional day for the Ferrari team.

Drivers' title race after round 7 —

Vettel -- 121 points
Hamilton -- 120 points
Bottas -- 86 points

France -- Hamilton back in the groove —

Briton Lewis Hamilton won the first French Grand Prix since 2008.
The Mercedes driver avoided the worst of a dramatic start that saw title rival Sebastian Vettel clip Valtteri Bottas. Both drivers sustained damage in the collision, forcing them to pit early them and fall to the back of the grid.

Drivers' title race after round 8 —

Hamilton -- 145 points
Vettel -- 131 points
Ricciardo -- 96 points

Austria -- Verstappen wins after Mercedes meltdown —

Red Bull's Max Verstappen won a dramatic Austrian Grand Prix as hitherto championship leader Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes teammate, Valtteri Bottas, were forced to retire.

Drivers' title race after round 9 —

Vettel - 146 points
Hamilton - 145 points
Raikkonen - 101 points

Britain -- Vettel wins despite Hamilton fightback —

Home favorite Lewis Hamilton was denied a sixth victory at the British Grand Prix as Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel took control of the championship at Silverstone

Drivers' title race after round 10 —

Vettel - 171Hamilton - 163Raikkonen - 116

Germany -- Advantage Hamilton as Vettel crashes out —

Hamilton fought back from 14th on the grid to claim an astonishing victory as Vettel crashed out at Hockenheim.

Drivers' title race after round 11 —

Hamilton - 188
Vettel - 171
Raikkonen - 131

Hungary -- Hamilton extends title lead with 'beautiful' win —

Hamilton went into F1's summer break with a season-high 24-point advantage in the title race over Vettel after winning at the Hungaroring.

Drivers' title race after round 11 —

Hamilton -- 213 points
Vettel -- 189 points
Raikkonen -- 146 points

Belgium -- Vettel wins after spectacular crash —

Fernando Alonso's car was launched over the top of Charles Leclerc on the opening corner of the Belgian Grand Prix. Sebastian Vettel went on to win at Spa to cut Lewis Hamilton's lead at the top of the Driver Standings to 17 points.

Drivers' title race after round 12 —

Hamilton -- 231Vettel -- 214Raikkonen - 146

Ferrari's sea of fans -- the 'Tifosi' -- hold up a flag making fun of Lewis Hamilton, but he has the last laugh, winning the Italian Grand Prix for the fifth time

The story of the 2018 F1 season so far

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READ: Hamilton agrees two-year contract extension at Mercedes

Bottas joined Mercedes from Williams in 2017 to replace retiring world champion Nico Rosberg.

He finished third in the drivers’ standings last season after wins in Russia, Austria and Abu Dhabi, but the top of the podium has so far eluded him this year having finished runner-up on four occasions.

Bottas, alongside Hamilton, helped Mercedes secure its fourth straight constructors championship in 2017, although the pair currently trail Ferrari in this season’s standings.

READ: The life of an F1 superfan

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Published 5:16 AM EDT, Fri July 20, 2018

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Valtteri Bottas: quickfire questions

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“We have a big battle on our hands right now, so it’s good to have the future clear for everybody – it means we can have a full focus on the championship fight,” Bottas added.

“Obviously, my goal is to keep performing at a high level and to make it a no-brainer for the team when it comes to deciding their plans for 2020 as well.”

The F1 championship resumes this weekend in the German town of Hockenheim, something of a home race for Mercedes.

“Valtteri’s performances have been excellent this season and, if not for our mistakes and his misfortune, he could be leading the drivers’ championship at the moment,” said team boss Toto Wolff.

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“I am very excited to keep Valtteri in the team and look forward to celebrating many more successes with him.”