Nothing less than a two-year deal will do for Bottas

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Valtteri Bottas likely won't enter contract talks with Mercedes until late in the summer, but when he does the Finn won't settle for another one year extension with the Silver Arrows outfit.

Bottas clinched his first three F1 wins with Mercedes last season, an achievement which warranted a renewal of his contract with the manufacturer for 2018.

However, the next round of talks will hopefully yield a multi-year agreement that will secure his future in F1.

"I would like to stay with this team, hopefully for a long time," he told Motorsport.

"That is my target. As long as I keep performing like I've been performing this year so far, naturally it should be OK, all good.

"I always kind of had one-year deals, so I would naturally like to know at least for the next two years what I'm going to do," he said.

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Bottas made clear he wouldn't play negotiation games with Mercedes by seeking an offer from another team for the purpose of strengthening his position.

The 28-year-old enjoys a good relationship with team boss Toto Wolff, but equally as important is his inner-team partnership with Lewis Hamilton, a positive asset for the Brackley squad and one Bottas hopes Mercedes will want to keep in place.

"It started off well but it's only got better as we got to know each other," said Bottas. "We have very good respect both ways.

"After Baku, straight after he came to me and said, 'You did a really good race and you deserved to win'.

"We are good teammates. We want to help the team together and work together, but we also want to win. He is a pretty complete driver, I feel like I'm getting more and more complete all the time."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.