Tuesday, August 31, 2021
But Bottas stays in Formula 1
Russell rises to Hamilton at Mercedes
At the Belgian Grand Prix, George Russell proves his potential again and now it is paying off. As ntv has learned, the Formula 1 hopefuls are moving up to Mercedes for the new season. Valtteri Bottas has to vacate his cockpit – but finds a new one. That’s where a big name ends.
George Russell drives for Mercedes in the 2022 Formula 1 season. What has been speculated and speculated for weeks, months, is now a done deal, according to information from ntv and RTL. The 23-year-old rises from the inferior Williams racing team to the serial winner and replaces the vice world champion of the past two years in the Silver Arrows. Valtteri Bottas has to vacate his cockpit, Lewis Hamilton gets a new, a young, an ambitious team-mate, who has been considered the future world champion not only since his outstanding appearance at the Belgian Grand Prix.
The decision by Mercedes for Russell and against Bottas has long been an open secret, but the official announcement is still pending. However, it should have moved a lot closer, because the future of the Finns has now been clarified. The nine-time Grand Prix winner, signed to succeed Nico Rosberg in 2017, will remain in Formula 1 and will drive for Alfa Romeo next year.
There Bottas takes over the cockpit of his compatriot Kimi Räikkönen. The 41-year-old, who made his debut for Sauber in the premier class in 2001 and has been driving for the team that is now Alfa Romeo, will end his impressive career.
No change at Mick Schumacher
The occupation of the second Mercedes was the last big question that had remained unanswered in the Formula 1 driver market. Red Bull continues to rely on Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, at Aston Martin Sebastian Vettel is certain to stay. Alpha Tauri will in all likelihood also compete with Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda in 2022. Rumors that Mick Schumacher could also switch to Alfa are not confirmed according to ntv / RTL information. The 22-year-old will also be competing for the US racing team Haas in the coming season.
However, it is still unclear who will fill the gap left by Russell at Williams. There Mercedes had accommodated the Formula 2 champion from 2018 in the two previous years, the candidate is Formula E world champion Nyck de Vries. Russell once made so much impression on Toto Wolff with a Power Point presentation that the Silver Motorsport boss signed him on to the junior program.
With his second place in qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix at the latest, the young Brit showed that he is ready for bigger tasks. His first podium resulted from the fact that in the constant rain in the Ardennes only a farce of “races” was possible, which ended after less than three and a half minutes behind the safety car.
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