Sebastian Vettel thinks it’s a shame that Valtteri Bottas has to leave Mercedes but also believes he will contribute well in Alfa Romeo.
Valtteri Bottas, in the middle of the 2021 season, was announced to depart for Alfa Romeo for 2022. George Russell, who is a graduate of the Mercedes driving program, is set to replace him at the Silver Arrows.
Bottas, in his five-year-long spell, played an ideal deputy to Lewis Hamilton, which allowed Mercedes to win the drivers’ championship for straight four years and the constructors’ title for five years.
With the completion of the 2021 season, Bottas has reached Alfa Romeo’s garage. But it’s not a happy sight for Sebastian Vettel, who thinks it’s a disgrace that the Finnish driver has to leave Mercedes.
“Somehow I think it’s a shame that he has to leave Mercedes,” Vettel said in an interview with Blick. “But maybe the new regulations for the Swiss team in 2022 will suit him so that things will finally be more balanced in the field and he will have more chances.”
“Valtteri is one of the most straightforward and honest drivers. And above all, Bottas is also one of the fastest drivers in the field.”
Also read: Valtteri Bottas feels that the 2022 cars are going to feel the same despite regulation changes
Glad he will be the leading man says Sebastian Vettel
Vettel believes that Bottas will play an imperative role in Alfa Romeo’s set-up in 2022. And he’s also glad that Bottas will finally get to play a central role in a team, as he was only assisting Hamilton during his spell in Mercedes.
Welcome to the team, @ValtteriBottas! 🤜🏻🤛🏻 pic.twitter.com/vD6yfRHT5y
— Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN (@alfaromeoracing) January 1, 2022
“I’m just happy that he can play a much more central role there than before,” Vettel added. “Bottas certainly didn’t always have it easy in the five years alongside Hamilton. But I’m also sure that he was always treated fairly at Mercedes.
Also read: Valtteri Bottas has mixed feelings on switching to Alfa Romeo from Mercedes
