F1: Bottas extends Mercedes contract till 2019

Formula One announced on Friday that Valtteri Bottas had signed a new contract with Mercedes until 2019 with an option for a further year, a day after his teammate Lewis Hamilton finalised his two-year deal with the racing team.

The 28-year-old Finn, who joined Mercedes in 2017, has a score of three Grand Prix wins and five pole positions, reports Efe.

"It is great news that I will be racing for Mercedes in 2019," Bottas said. "It is nice to announce it here in Hockenheim -- not just the home race for Mercedes but also the circuit where I took my first ever single-seater wins back in 2007."

"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," he added.

Bottas is currently placed fifth in the driver standings, 67 points behind leader Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari.

"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," he stressed.

--IANS

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