Rumor: Bottas already told by Mercedes Russell will replace him (3rd Update)

Yesterday, the Italian media in form of Sky Sports F1 has reported that Mercedes AMG driver and teammate to Lewis Hamilton will not have his contract renewed, confirming the reports below – Bottas will make way for George Russell.

The media giant based in Italy put out an Instagram post yesterday saying that “Bottas-Mercedes, moving towards non-renewal of contract”

“Beyond the lackluster race in Azerbaijan, the Finnish driver’s future seems sealed: Mercedes are not likely to renew his contract for next season.”

The Instagram post finishes with the simple text… “Russell ready”.

Valtteri Bottas will be replaced with George Russell by the Mercedes F1 team in 2022 according to the Russian Formula 1 commentator. The British Williams driver is reported to have already signed a two-year contract.

This is what Popov says in conversation with Match TV, the broadcasting agent of Formula 1 in Russia. “I will not disclose the source, but there is always a lot of talk in the paddock in Monaco,” he says.

(GMM) The signs are growing ever clearer about the likelihood of a driver change at Mercedes for 2022.

During Sunday’s broadcast of the Monaco GP, the commentator for Russia’s Match TV said a source has now told him that Valtteri Bottas is losing his seat.

“I will not disclose the source,” said Alexey Popov, “but there is always a lot of talk like that in the paddock at Monaco.

“They told me that Russell moving to Mercedes for at least two years, and not in Hamilton’s place, is already practically done.”

Popov speculated that Bottas may simply replace George Russell at Williams next year.

“That’s just my guess,” he said. “But the fact that Russell will be in the Mercedes is almost certain.”

Popov thinks Bottas’ championship hopes for 2021 are also definitely over.

“He is hopelessly behind both Hamilton and Verstappen already,” said the Russian. “He’s out of the title fight completely. Even Norris is ahead of him now.

“Everything is pointing towards this being his last year at Mercedes.”

“I wonder if Bottas might have already been told that his contract will not be renewed,” Former F1 driver David Coulthard said on the On the Marbles podcast.

“When I left McLaren, I was told in June of the year before my contract expired. So I knew for a year and a half that they would rather have Juan Pablo Montoya in that car.”

Mark Webber, who was also on the show, speculated if Hamilton might have broken the Finn confidence with his continued dominance of the sport.

“He (Bottas) will know he is short on Sunday. Not on the Saturday, but the points are distributed on Sunday,” Webber added.

Coulthard though believes if his theory proves correct, the German outfit might have actually done the Finn a favor.

“I had one and a half years at the time to find a new seat! I said to Ron Dennis ‘Thank you for your honesty and let’s get on with it,’ Coulthard explained.

“I think I would have won the next race. Or maybe I crashed in the pit lane!”