Current Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas will race for Ferrari-powered Alfa Romeo in a multi-year deal from 2022 F1 season, the Swiss-based F1 squad said in a statement on Monday.

After a lot of speculations, the Finn ending his top level F1 career with Mercedes, as the defending champion opening the door for their junior speedy George Russel, who is currently driving for Williams F1.

“A new chapter in my racing career is opening,” said Bottas, who will be replace leaving fellow citizen and 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen.

“I am relishing the opportunity to help lead the team forward up the grid, especially with the new regulations in 2022 giving the team a chance to make a leap in performance.

“I’m grateful for the trust the team has put in me, and I cannot wait to repay their faith: I’m as hungry as ever to race for results and, when the time comes, for wins.”

“It has been a privilege and a great sporting challenge to work with Lewis, and the harmony in our relationship played a big part in the constructors’ championships we won as teammates,” a nine-times grand prix winner said.

Alfa boss Frederic Vasseur – “Valtteri has been an integral part of a team that rewrote the history books and he has four constructors’ world titles to his name: he is the right driver to help Alfa Romeo Racing make a step forward towards the front of the grid,” he said.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing him put his ability to work for the good of the team.”

Mercedes paid tribute to the Bottas, without any indication of his replacement.

“This hasn’t been an easy process or a straightforward decision for us,” said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff.

“Valtteri has done a fantastic job over the past five seasons, and he has made an essential contribution to our success and to our growth.

“Together with Lewis, he has built a benchmark partnership between two team-mates in the sport, and that has been a valuable weapon in our championship battles and pushed us to achieve unprecedented success.”

“When the time comes, he will leave us with huge goodwill from every single member of the team, and he will forever be part of the Mercedes family,” said the Austrian.