Bottas: 'Straightforward' to agree new Mercedes F1 deal

Valtteri Bottas found negotiations with Mercedes over a new Formula 1 deal for the 2019 season "pretty straightforward", claiming he only properly sat down with team boss Toto Wolff to discuss his future a couple of weeks ago.

Mercedes announced on Friday ahead of practice in Germany that Bottas had signed a new multi-year deal, keeping him with the team for the 2019 F1 season, with an option for 2020.

Bottas joined Mercedes at the start of 2017 following Nico Rosberg's shock retirement and has scored three race wins with the team, contributing to its constructors' championship win last year.

Speaking about his new deal, Bottas hailed the stability it offered Mercedes, with the team confirming 24 hours earlier that Lewis Hamilton would be remaining for the next two seasons.

"It's always nice when it's official. I think honestly never in my career so far, I've known at this point already for next year, so that's positive," Bottas said.

"I think it's really good that we can now both, me and Lewis, only focus on the rest of the year. I think it's going to be a tough battle between two, maybe three teams. We need to stay focused and need to keep pushing.

"We both know we're going to be here as teammates next year. The team knows that, so it's good."

Bottas said he felt negotiations were "pretty straightforward", going on to reveal he only formally sat down with the team to discuss his contract ahead of the British Grand Prix two weeks ago.

"It was only just before Silverstone we sat down with Toto, and now we already have a contract. Normally with me, everything is straightforward," Bottas said.

"I felt a small amount of pressure went off my shoulders, even though you don't want to think about it, but between the races you do. I think now it's a good situation for us as a team, for me, for Lewis, for all the team."