After weeks of speculation about who will be replacing Nico Rosberg on Mercedes, the team has officially announced the driver who will be the teammate to Lewis Hamilton in 2017.
Nico Rosberg caught the Formula One world by surprise when he announced his retirement from Formula One in December. The team took some time to find and sign a new driver, with many being linked to the seat. In the end, Valtteri Bottas has officially been announced as the number two driver.
Toto Wolff, the head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, says that he sees Rosberg’s shocking announcement as an opportunity for the team to grow:
“Sometimes in life, unexpected circumstances provide interesting opportunities. Nico’s decision in December was a big surprise – certainly a challenging situation for the team to handle. But weathering the storm makes you more resilient and we see this as another opportunity for the team to grow.
Valtteri is a no-nonsense guy: down to earth, straightforward and very focused. Pretty Finnish, to be honest, and a great fit for us. He has an impressive track record in the junior categories and nine podiums in F1. But now it’s time for the next level, to see how he can step up to challenge for race wins and for Championships. We know that we are already behind the curve in terms of preparations for the new season, so we’ve got a busy programme to get him integrated into the team. One thing is for sure: as I know Valtteri, he will give it everything.
We have confidence in Valtteri’s ability and it’s one of the reasons that he is the driver we set our sights on this winter. The next weeks will be busy as we work to build relationships so Valtteri understands the team and the car. But that’s an exciting challenge that will bring us fresh energy and a new dynamic between the drivers. And, of course, we’re working hard to give Lewis and Valtteri the car they need to do the job.”
The move to Mercedes leaves Bottas’ seat on Williams empty, clearing the way for Felipe Massa to come out of retirement. Pascal Wehrlein has also been confirmed as part of the Sauber lineup for 2017.
Bottas as received a warm welcome to the team and is looking forward to the journey ahead:
“It’s very exciting times for me. I think it’s going to take a while to understand that this is really happening. It’s definitely another dream come true, to race in another team with such great history – especially in the recent years, which have been so impressive. I’m really proud to become a part of that and grateful to everyone at Mercedes for trusting my skills and giving me this opportunity.
I’ve had a really warm welcome so far. Of course, I have a lot more people to meet and new faces to remember. But initially everything has felt very good. I’m really impressed with the facilities and I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone better. My first experience with Mercedes power was in F3 back in 2009 and, of course, I know the Power Unit well from the last three years with Williams. But there are a lot of new things to learn with the car and also with how the team operates at the factory, in testing and at the races.
I’m ready to work hard, to prove myself to the team and to prove my skills. It’s going to be a challenging season and joining a new team makes it more work than normal. But I’m 100% ready for that. I’m training hard to be at my physical best because it will be much tougher with these new cars. I always set the bar really high, so my target is to perform from the first race. I’m full of energy and ready to get to work for this year and hopefully many more to come with Mercedes.”
Pre-season testing is set to begin in a few weeks in preparation for the upcoming 2017 season.
Remaining Lineups Expected To Be Confirmed This Week
Massa To Return To Williams In 2017
Reports Suggest Massa 2017 Deal Could Be Worth €6m
Felipe Massa Could Make A Shocking 2017 Return
Bottas-Mercedes Link May Be In The Works
Rosberg Shocks F1 With Retirement
