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Wolff: 'Interaction between Lewis and Valtteri will work well'

Mercedes AMG F1 boss Toto Wolff has no worries about the future working relationship between Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas despite their contrasting personalities.

The onus will be on Bottas to prove his mettle at Mercedes however as he replaces reigning world champion Nico Rosberg and goes up against perhaps F1's fiercest competitor. And he'll have just one year to do it.

But Wolf believes the pairing will be  a solid and consistent one at the helm of the Silver Arrows outfit.

"I think the balance between Valtteri and Lewis works," Wolff said in an interview with the Mercedes AMG F1 website.

"They are two very different personalities and for us it was important to fills Nico's shoes.  And Nico had a certain role in the team, and Valtteri pretty much fits into that.

"We believe that the interaction, the dynamics between the two drivers is going to work well. They respect each other and so far, from what I've seen, Valtteri is settling in well."

Speaking about the team's 2017 war horse, the Mercedes W08, Wolff admitted that work and preparation were as hectic as ever given where this year's ambitious performance targets have been set.

But it was all going according to plan: "No major drama, that's important," insisted the Austrian.

"But when you push performance you're obviously always pushing very hard, and these days are very difficult in some of the areas of the factory in Brackley and in Brixworth.

"The guys are pushing flat out in order to bring the car and the engine up to meet the performance targets that we have set ourselves.

"Making it reliable and then putting the car together overall. It's the busiest time of the year!"

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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.

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