Wolff: New Bottas deal ‘almost a no-brainer’

Editor

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has said it is "almost a no-brainer" to extend Valtteri Bottas' deal, but still wants time to fully assess the other options available.

The Finn is within a race victory of World Championship leader Sebastian Vettel at the halfway stage of the 2017 season, claiming his first two wins of his career in Russia and Austria in the process.

But, despite Bottas' best efforts, Wolff is still not ready to extend his stay with Mercedes just yet.

"It is almost a no-brainer," Wolff said. "I would just like to put the puzzle together, it is not only about 2018. It is about looking forward in 2019 and 2020.

"There are some opportunities and after Budapest, l will contemplate what is right and wrong for the team."

The likes of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen are both out of contract at the end of the season, while the issue of Fernando Alonso's future also needs to be resolved.

However, Lewis Hamilton, whose current Mercedes expires in 2019, is happy with what Bottas has brought to the team since his off-season switch from Williams.

"Having Valtteri on board has brought a lot of positivity to the team and dispelled a lot of negativity we had before," Hamilton said.

"We are a winning team and we can't change any components of it."