The worst kept secret of the new Formula 1 season was finally confirmed when Mercedes announced that Valtteri Bottas would replace Nico Rosberg and team up with Lewis Hamilton, with team chief Toto Wolff declaring full confidence in the Finn.
Wolff told media during the announcement function, “Valtteri is a no-nonsense guy: down to earth, straightforward and very focused. Pretty Finnish, to be honest, and a great fit for us.”
“He has an impressive track record in the junior categories and nine podiums in F1 but now it’s time for the next level, to see how he can step up to challenge for race wins and for championships.
“We have confidence in Valtteri’s ability and it’s one of the reasons that he is the driver we set our sights on this winter.
“The next weeks will be busy as we work to build relationships so Valtteri understands the team and the car.
“But that’s an exciting challenge that will bring us fresh energy and a new dynamic between the drivers.”
27 year old Bottas, who made his F1 debut at the 2013 Australian Grand Prix, has not won a grand prix in 77 starts, but has nine podium finishes on his CV.
He met with the people he will be working with at Brackley and said, “I’ve had a really warm welcome so far. Of course, I have a lot more people to meet and new faces to remember but initially everything has felt very good.”
“I’m really impressed with the facilities and I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone better.”
“My first experience with Mercedes power was in F3 back in 2009 and, of course, I know the power unit well from the last three years with Williams.
“But there are a lot of new things to learn with the car and also with how the team operates at the factory, in testing and at the races,” added Bottas.
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