BREAKING: Mercedes Announce All British Hamilton-Russell F1 Lineup to End Season-Long Saga

Mercedes continue to dominate the headlines in the ongoing F1 season. After signing a contract extension with Lewis Hamilton till 2023, they have finally confirmed their second driver for the 2022 season.

Williams driver and Mercedes junior George Russell will replace Valtteri Bottas at the Silver Arrows for next season. This lineup will be the first all-British lineup for Mercedes in their history.

George Russell to race alongside Lewis Hamilton for Mercedes in 2022

The defending champions faced a unique situation at the beginning of the 2021 season. While Lewis Hamilton’s initial contract expired at the end of the season, Valtteri Bottas faced the same situation. However, Hamilton‘s contract extension at the Austrian Grand Prix meant the Silver Arrows only needed to confirm their second driver for 2022.

As we reported in June, Russell looked set to replace Bottas at Mercedes for the 2022 season. With an eye towards the future, the Silver Arrows have now confirmed both drivers ahead of the Italian Grand Prix by signing the 23-year-old.

Formula One F1 – Sakhir Grand Prix – Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain – Mercedes’ George Russell in action during practice Pool via REUTERS/Tolga Bozoglu

Russell has been nothing short of impressive with Williams in the last three years. This season, the Briton scored his podium finish with the iconic outfit in Belgium, and their first podium since the 2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

In addition, the Briton’s one-off performance with Mercedes in last year’s Sakhir Grand Prix overshadowed Bottas. Despite finishing P9 in that race, Russell came within three-hundredths of pole position and led the race for several laps.

Bottas to move to Alfa Romeo on a multi-year deal

Many teams would not ignore the chance to snap up a driver with race winning experience. And Alfa Romeo made their intentions clear by replacing one Finn with another.

Formula One F1 – Portuguese Grand Prix – Algarve International Circuit – Portimao, Portugal – May 2, 2021 Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas before the race Pool via REUTERS/Gabriel Bouys

Before the Dutch Grand Prix, Kimi Raikkonen announced his retirement, which left a spot open in Alfa Romeo. Yesterday, Bottas announced he will join the Italian outfit from next season on a multi-year deal.

With 9 races to go, Bottas will look to help Mercedes secure an eighth consecutive constructor’s championship. Can the Finn end his five-year stint with Mercedes on a high? Only time will tell.

READ MORE: Why Do Mercedes Dominate F1?

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