The Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team on Tuesday confirmed that George Russell will become teammate to reigning seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, beginning from the 2022 Formula One season as the sport enters a new era of technical regulations.
The multiple world championship-winning team has spent the last few months evaluating whether to retain incumbent Valtteri Bottas or promote their protege Russell -- currently racing for Williams -- in his stead.
This confirmation follows the news that Valtteri Bottas will join Alfa Romeo Racing next year, after five highly successful seasons with Mercedes. Valtteri joined Mercedes in 2017, scoring 9 race wins, 54 podiums and 17 pole positions to date with the team.
He has played a pivotal role in Mercedes winning four Constructors' World Championships since 2017, and his partnership with Lewis Hamilton will be recorded as one of the most successful in the sport's history.
Valtteri will be succeeded by 23-year-old George Russell, who joined the Mercedes Young Driver Programme in 2017. George won that season's GP3 Series championship, and became FIA Formula 2 champion the following year, before graduating to Formula One with Williams in 2019.
"It's a special day for me personally and professionally, but also a day of mixed emotions," said Russell as per formula1.com. "I'm excited and humbled to be joining Mercedes next year, which is a huge career step, but it also means I'll be saying goodbye to my teammates and friends at Williams. It has been an honour working alongside every member of the team, and an honour to represent the Williams name in F1."
( With inputs from ANI )
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