Toto Wolff feels Valtteri Bottas is thriving now he has left the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, with the Finn happier now he was not playing ‘wingman’ to Lewis Hamilton.
Wolff opted to replace Bottas with George Russell ahead of the 2022 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season, with the Finn making the move across to Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN.
And the Team Principal at Mercedes reckons Bottas leaving the team when he did was good for him, with the Finn appearing more relaxed in his new team. He was able to lead the team to sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship, their best result in almost a decade, with a best finish of fifth in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
“I think that it was also a good moment for Valtteri to leave the team,” said Wolff to Channel 4 about his departure after the 2021 season. “Because the pressure was enormous on him and he didn’t want to be a wingman.
“I think having released him from that pressure now he’s racing with Alfa, it is completely different and he seems also happier for me rather than this pressure cooker at Mercedes.”
However, Wolff insists he informed Russell that he had a place in the Mercedes set-up once Bottas’ future in Formula 1 had been secured, despite the almost constant rumours of the Finn’s imminent departure and the arrival of the former Williams Racing driver.
“In terms of this decision making for myself, I knew pretty early that I wanted to have George in the car, but I didn’t commit to George before I knew that Valtteri had found a good place,” Wolff said.
“I didn’t commit to him and I didn’t communicate to anybody outside because that is the respect I have for people that I care [about].
“When Valtteri’s team was done with Sauber over August, over the break period, then I went back to George and told him while you’re in, we want you to be in the car knowing that Valtteri had his place.
“And I said to George, because obviously it was a long period for him to wait, I said ‘I will do the same for you’ and that I think he understood.”