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BREAKING: Valtteri Bottas keeps Mercedes seat for 2020!

29 August 2019 at 11:02
Last update 29 August 2019 at 11:48
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  • Joseph Tyrrell

After months of rumours, it has been confirmed that Valtteri Bottas will keep his Mercedes seat for the 2020 season. Esteban Ocon was the front runner to replace the Finn but he will now race for the Silver Arrows for a fourth season.

Bottas is in his third season at Mercedes having replaced Nico Rosberg after the German retired after winning his only World Championship. After winning three races in his first year he failed to record a race victory in 2018 but came back for 2019 rejuvenated, winning two of the first four races.

However, his form has dipped since and Max Verstappen is closing in on him for second in the Drivers' Championship. After finishing eighth in Hungary the speculation surrounding his future increased.

Esteban Ocon had been the favourite to replace Bottas having been Mercedes' reserve this season, but Bottas' form has been enough for him to hold on to his seat for a fourth season, with Ocon's future yet to be decided.

Bottas will partner five-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton for the fourth season in a row in 2020.