Bottas on leaving Mercedes: 'It was the same situation'

Valtteri Bottas' contract extension has been pretty much the most talked about topic this season. The Finnish driver finally made the switch to Alfa Romeo this month, where he should play a key role.

It has not been easy for Bottas to keep performing in recent months. The driver received a lot of criticism for his performance, while the name of George Russell was mentioned a lot when it came to his successor. It was therefore only a matter of time until Mercedes would tie the knot.

For Bottas, however, the decision was clear. "It was the same situation in the spring and summer with Mercedes, that at some point you had to start talking about a new contract," he told the Finnish MTV Sport. "The way it went and the mood I was in, and actually the team as well, made us pretty much agree that this was the way to go."

Mercedes clearly chooses to rejuvenate the team next season. The German team has appointed Russell next to Lewis Hamilton who did well at Williams this season. It remains to be seen if he can do the same when he is in a Mercedes.