INTERNATIONAL: Valtteri Bottas is to leave Mercedes and race for Ferrari-powered Alfa Romeo. The nine-times Grand Prix winner has signed a multi-year deal from 2022. The Finn's departure clears the way for George Russell to leave Williams and join seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes in what will be an all-British line-up.
Valtteri Bottas replaces retiring compatriot and 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen at Alfa Romeo. He says he’s relishing the opportunity to help lead the team forward up the grid. The 32-year-old joined Mercedes from Williams in 2017 after the abrupt retirement of 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg. He says he’s proud of what he’s achieved alongside Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes.
The German automaker has won the last seven drivers' and constructors' championships, but Alfa Romeo fancy their chances. Alfa boss, Frederic Vasseur, who last worked with Bottas when the Finn was coming through the junior series, says the driver had shown he’s a strong team player, and is the right man to help Alfa Romeo Racing make a step forward towards the front of the grid.
Mercedes paid tribute to the Finn, conceding it hadn’t been an easy process letting him go. Team boss Toto Wolff says Bottas will leave “with huge goodwill from every single member of the team, and he will forever be part of the Mercedes family."
