Valtteri Bottas will remain at Mercedes for the 2021 season. Sources confirm that a new deal have been agreed in principle.
While Toto Wolff said that he is in no hurry for the 2021 line-up, and the final contract still to be signed off for it seems that the driver and the team have agreed to the terms for a new 1-year partnership. Valtteri Bottas started the new season strongly, currently holding the P1 in the overall championship.
The agreement, which has been put together in the last few days, came after Mercedes CEO Ola Kallenius gave his blessing, during a visit to the Austrian Grand Prix to an unchanged line-up for next season. The CEO confirmed to Sky Germany “We’ill stay with our two boys”. The move on Valtteri Bottas will now leave the way clear for Mercedes to make progress for a fresh contract with Lewis Hamilton, who has yet to agree on terms for next season but is expected to stay. The current bad shape of Ferrari will make a move from Hamilton to Ferrari very unlikely
Speaking before the Styrian GP weekend, Valtteri Bottas said that he hoped an early deal could be agreed to help remove a potential distraction from his efforts to win the championship. Asked about the chances of a swift deal being agreed he said:”I really hope so. Obviously it’s a very special season starting so late. So, the timing is not really relevant to other seats and we’ve only done one race.”
