Bottas leaves Mercedes and continues career at Alfa Romeo

It had been in the air for a while, but the bullet is through the church: Valtteri Bottas is leaving the Formula 1 team of Mercedes. The 32-year-old Finn will drive for Alfa Romeo from next year, where he has signed a multi-year contract.

Bottas exchanged Williams for Mercedes in 2017, where he became second driver behind Lewis Hamilton. In the service of the German racing stable he achieved nine grand prix victories, but this season he is still dry.

Bottas is at Alfa Romeo as the successor of his compatriot Kimi Räikkönen, who announced last week that he was working on his last season in Formula 1.

Clear the way for Russell

The vacant spot at Mercedes is likely to be taken by Briton George Russell, who is still active for Williams. Last year he already drove a grand prix as a replacement for Hamilton, who was struck by corona. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff is Russell’s more personal manager.

Hamilton, who won his seventh world title last year, has already extended his contract for two years last summer.

–