Finally, all speculations are ended by official confirmation of Mercedes 2022 F1 line-up. The young British speedy George Russell was confirmed as Seven-times F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton’s F1 teammate from 2022 by the Silver-arrows on Tuesday.

“The Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team today confirmed that George Russell will become team-mate 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.” said the Mercedes statement.

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.

His work ethic and performance have continued to impress during his three seasons with Williams; he is now ready to make the step to Mercedes and to continue his career development alongside Lewis Hamilton, after signing a long-term contract with the team.

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said the decision to replace Bottas had nonetheless not been an easy process or a straightforward decision.

“This hasn’t been an easy process or a straightforward decision for us. 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.” Wolff said.

“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. He would absolutely have deserved to stay with the team, and I am pleased that he has been able to choose an exciting challenge with Alfa next year to continue his career at the top level of the sport; 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.”

“Looking forward to 2022, we are very happy to confirm that George will have the opportunity to take the next step in his career and join Mercedes. He has been a winner in every racing category – and the past three seasons with Williams have given us a taste of what the future could hold for him in F1.”

“Now, it is our challenge together to help him continue learning within our environment and alongside Lewis, the greatest F1 driver of all time. I am confident that as their relationship grows, they will form a strong team and deliver for Mercedes on and off the track in the years to come. It’s a weight off our shoulders to have our plans for 2022 clear and announced; but now, our focus returns to the final nine races of this season and putting everything into our challenge for this year’s world championships.”