The 2021 F1 season is just a summer break away and it seems that the driver market is already wide open. The reported resignation of Kimi Raikkonen could trigger several movements in the driver market. Since Williams’ George Russell is said to be the favorite for Mercedes F1, Valtteri Bottas could switch to Alfa Romeo F1, leaving a place at Williams F1.
Will Kimi Raikkonen retire at the end of the 2021 F1 season?
According to the French television channel Canal +, the 41-year-old Kimi Raikkonen will announce his retirement from Formula 1 in the coming weeks. Several reports suggest the highly anticipated announcement could come at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. The 2007 Formula 1 driver champion is struggling with Alfa Romeo this season as he has just scored two points in the 2021 F1 season.
If the Finnish veteran does announce his resignation, he could be replaced by Valtteri Bottas at Alfa Romeo F1. The vacant seat at Mercedes F1 could then be given to George Russell, who has been extremely impressive over the past few seasons. In addition, the 23-year-old Briton clinched his first F1 podium with a Williams team at the Belgian Grand Prix last week. When Russell joins Mercedes F1 it will be an all-British line-up for the first time since the 2012 season when Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton were teammates at McLaren Mercedes F1.
Toto confirms that Mercedes F1 has chosen its driver line-up
In a conversation with reporters after qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix, Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff confirmed that a decision had been made about the team’s driver line-up for the 2022 season. When a reporter asked him twice whether a decision had been made between George Russell and Valtteri Bottas, he replied, “Yes”. When he asked the second time, he also added, “If it had been an easier decision, we would have made it sooner because we know what we have with Valtteri and we know what we have looked after with George because they are both family members and we hold them up. “
The post Kimi Raikkonen is slated to retire after the 2021 season; Great upheaval expected in the F1 grid first appeared on monter-une-startup.
