Formula 1: Bottas is the perfect foil to Hamilton, continuity is key for Mercedes

Mercedes have confirmed that Valtteri Bottas is staying with the team for the 2021 season “at least” after signing a new contract.

The Finn has driven for the team since 2017, joining as a replacement for Nico Rosberg. All eight of his race wins were for the team, including the opening race of the 2020 F1 season in Austria.

He is currently second in the drivers’ championship, and came second last year.

Bottas said: “I’m very happy to stay with Mercedes in 2021 and build on the success we’ve enjoyed together already. The past few years have been all about continuous improvement. I’m confident that today I’m the strongest I’ve ever been, but I can always raise the bar.

“Thank you to everyone in the team and the wider Mercedes family for their continued support and trust in me. I’m very proud to represent this great team and the three-pointed star on our journey together again next year.”

I’m confident we have the strongest driver pairing in F1

– Toto Wolff

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said that Mercedes were “seeing the strongest Valtteri we’ve ever seen this year in terms of his on-track performance, but also physically and mentally”.

He added: “He is second in the championship, finished the last season in P2 and plays a very important part in our overall team performance. I’m confident we have the strongest driver pairing in F1, and signing Valtteri is an important step in retaining this strength.

“Valtteri is a hard-working, straightforward guy who has a good relationship with the entire team – including his team-mate, which is not a given when both drivers are fighting for the championship.”

Bottas is likely to once again partner Lewis Hamilton – formal talks have not yet begun with the six-time world champion, but he is widely expected to stay with the team too.

It’s a hugely unsurprising announcement from Mercedes – both the team and Bottas had long known that they were keen to continue the relationship, and now the time finally came to finalise the arrangements. There were some early rumours that George Russell could take the seat, or even Sebastian Vettel after he was dropped by Ferrari, but these were quickly dismissed. Bottas essentially knew he would be staying, and Toto Wolff knew he wanted him to stay – he wanted to retain the team he has.

Although much of the coverage of Mercedes has been focused on Hamilton, it’s important to stress that Bottas is an important part of the team’s strategy. Hamilton struggled to post a fourth place in Austria this season, while Bottas took the win. In the next two races, Bottas came second and third respectively, and it was only the tyre chaos that prevented him from coming second at last week’s British Grand Prix. His record is an impressive one, and it’s only the fact that he has such an accomplished teammate that prevents us talking about him as a potential world championship contender this season.

Maintaining this team dynamic for another season makes all the sense in the world

From the team’s perspective, Bottas delivers exactly what they need. His strong results helped reinforce Mercedes’ dominance of the constructors’ championship over the past three seasons, and he is a good foil for his teammate. After the strained nature of the Rosberg-Hamilton partnership, Bottas was exactly what the team needed – he got on well with the British driver and offering him competition without riling him. Maintaining this team dynamic for another season makes all the sense in the world.

One thing of note is the size of the contract. Despite pushing for a longer-term deal, Bottas once again has a one-year contract – this has always been the case since he signed at Mercedes, and prior to that at Williams. It’s not ideal for the driver, but it does afford Mercedes some power and flexibility.

If you can’t get good finishes, we’ll find someone who can

If Bottas keeps on delivering, they’ll have the option to extend once again. But if Bottas fails to post good results, it means that the team could drop him, probably for a driver like George Russell or Esteban Ocon, both of whom the team rate. It’s good for Bottas, but the threat is there – if you can’t get good finishes, we’ll find someone who can.

This unsurprising news comes as Mercedes really seek to take hold of the sport for this season and the next. With cars that outrank everyone else and a pair of drivers that keep delivering the goods, why would they seek any radical changes at the moment?