The inevitable happened: Valtteri Bottas is out and George Russell is with Mercedes. The most anticipated move of the 2021 Formula 1 season is now confirmed, which means that the remaining free spots scattered across the starting field should fill up over the next few weekends.
After a Dutch Grand Prix in which Lewis Hamilton complained about his car, its tires and the performance of his rival, and Bottas indirectly defied team orders, Mercedes had to turn the focus away from a difficult weekend and deliver good news to the press. What better news than replacing your increasingly frustrated second driver with an aspiring superstar? After Bottas announced his move to Alfa Romeo on Monday, Mercedes was the first to give the good news on Tuesday.
“For us it was not an easy process and not an easy decision,” said team principal Toto Wolff of Formula 1. Growth. Together with Lewis, he built a benchmark partnership between two teammates in the sport and that has been a valuable weapon in our championship fights and has propelled us to unprecedented success. “
Despite leaving one of the most dominant teams in F1 history, Bottas seemed pretty optimistic about getting a multi-year deal with Alfa, something he claims “never had before”.
Wolff, on the other hand, would like to continue learning “in our environment and at the side of Lewis, the greatest F1 driver of all time”. As for Russell’s endorsement, he simply says he’s glad to have that “weight off his shoulders”.
“We are very pleased to be able to confirm with a view to 2022 that George will have the opportunity to take the next step in his career and switch to Mercedes,” continued Wolff. “He was a winner in every racing category – and the last three seasons with Williams have given us a taste of what the future might hold for him in F1.”
After Red Bull’s dominant performance at Zandvoort, Mercedes will certainly have to focus on improving its game at the Italian Grand Prix this weekend in Monza – especially if it is to keep Hamilton’s title hopes alive. With the ultra-fast layout that favors top speed rather than aero-grip, it could play into the hands of the Silver Arrows.
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