Mercedes seems to keep all the options open for the lineup of F1 2019
This week it was announced that Valtteri Bottas contract with Mercedes has extend by one year. The Finnish driver has performed well enough this season or would keep open all options for 2019 Mercedes?
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has in the past indicated that he is very charmed by Max Verstappen. "For next year we can't do nothing, as he is at Red Bull Racing. He is, however, a driver you must have on the radar. " Wolff also has a good relationship with Jos Verstappen.
Max must by his contract drive until 2018 for Red Bull Racing and the team has an option on the Dutchman for 2019, but Red Bull Advisor Helmut Marko already told the German Bild that he understands that there are certain flirts with other teams. "I can't blame Max for flirting with other teams."
Today, it was also announced that the Austrian team will operate in 2019 with Honda power sources. This isn't necessarily is a negative thing, but if we look back on the past three years McLaren-Honda isn't really a success story. The Japanese power source is still not fast enough and this season seems to be so far an absolute low point.
Personally i think Hamilton and "this guy" will make an invincible duo for the upcoming years