Valtteri Bottas has signed a multi-year contract to join Alfa Romeo for the 2022 Formula 1 season, the team has announced, in turn clearing a space for George Russell to partner Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. As previously reported by RacingNews365.com , Bottas will leave Mercedes for Alfa Romeo as he replaces Kimi Raikkonen, who confirmed his retirement last week. "A new chapter in my racing career is opening," said Bottas. "I'm excited to join Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN for 2022 and beyond for what is going to be a new challenge with an iconic manufacturer. "Alfa Romeo is a brand that needs no introduction, they have written some great pages of Formula 1 history and it’s going to be an honour to represent this marque." Nine-time Grand Prix Bottas winner will be reunited with Alfa Romeo Team Principal Frederic Vasseur next year. Bottas won the Zandvoort Masters in 2009 and 2010 for Vasseur's ART team, as well as the GP3 Championship in 2011. "I know Fred well and I am looking forward to getting to know the rest of the team I am going to work with, building relationships as strong as the ones I have at Mercedes," continued Bottas. Vasseur cannot wait to work with Bottas, over a decade on from their success together in junior motorsport categories. "It is a pleasure to welcome Valtteri to the team and we are looking forward to our journey together," said Vasseur. "Our relationship goes back a long way, to when we worked together in successful campaigns in F3 and GP3. His talent and skills have been evident ever since, only growing with the time. "I'm really looking forward to seeing him put his ability to work for the good of the team."
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