Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton will get a new teammate for the next season.
Mercedes companion Valtteri Bottas clears his cockpit after five years with many disappointments at the end of the season and switches to Alfa Romeo.
The Finn has signed a multi-year contract, announced the racing team on Monday.
Bottas replaces his compatriot Kimi Räikkönen at Alfa, who ended his Grand Prix career at the end of the year at the age of 41.
With his move, the nine-time race winner is probably clearing the way for 23-year-old George Russell, who is considered the preferred candidate for Mercedes.
The departure from Bottas had been indicated for a long time. Too seldom has he been able to meet the expectations of the top team. In Zandvoort he even disregarded the team order on Sunday and almost took the extra point for the fastest race lap from Hamilton. “A new chapter in my career begins for me. I'm grateful for the trust the team has placed in me and I can't wait to repay that trust, ”said Bottas about the transfer.
The man from Nastola came to the Silver Arrows in 2017 as the successor to the surprisingly resigned world champion Nico Rosberg von Williams - with the aim of becoming champion himself.
Over the course of an entire season, however, he was never able to keep up with the overpowering Hamilton, who had extended his contract until the end of 2023.
In 2019 and 2020 he was at least second in the World Cup in the superior Silver Arrow.
The Briton Russell will now take over his job.
The Mercedes pupil recently operated again and again with strong performances in Williams self-promotion and should now be promoted.
"George is an incredibly talented driver," said Hamilton recently on the sidelines of the race at Zandvoort.
“It will continue to grow.
And where better than in a great team like this, ”added the seven-time world champion.