Bottas warns Mercedes over 'annoying' contract talks

Valtteri Bottas hopes talks over potentially extending his stay at Mercedes beyond the end of the year do not drag on through the 2018 season. Bottas is not contracted to the Silver Arrows into 2019, but has warned against talks affecting on-track performance.

The Finn was drafted into the Brackley squad last January after Nico Rosberg's retirement caught the champions cold at the end of the 2016 campaign.

Bottas started and ended 2017 strongly, but a mid-season blip left him chasing Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel in the title fight. Bottas ended the season third in the standings, 58 points adrift of his team-mate.

Mercedes handed Bottas an extended deal after 13 races last year, but Toto Wolff had spoken for many months beforehand about the extension being a "no-brainer".

#DreamTeam ???????? #DrivenByEachOther pic.twitter.com/yXFMPI8jz2 — Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) March 16, 2018

Bottas is quoted by Motorsport-total: "There is no point in delaying things too long, because as a driver you have to think and focus on a lot of things, and contract talks can be a bit annoying.

"The teams know that too, so when the time is right, we'll try to make a decision.

"It's even more fun to work here than in the past, I hope I can continue to perform, improve and have fun, then I'll try to keep going."

The pressure is on Bottas this year, with Daniel Ricciardo lurking as a potential replacement should he opt to leave Red Bull.