'They won't let Bottas know anytime soon, with Vettel it was a fiasco'

According to Finnish driver Toni Vilander, it is 'game over' for Valtteri Bottas at Mercedes. Vilander expects George Russell to take his place alongside Lewis Hamilton from 2022.

Bottas is not having the season he would like. After nine races, the Finn is still without wins and in fifth place in the championship. Way behind teammate Hamilton. The rumours that Russell would take over Bottas' spot are becoming more and more intense.

"Then it's game over," Vilander told the Finnish MTV. But according to the Finn, it will take some time before the news is brought out. "It's not good for Valtteri to know so early that he's not continuing at the team. [Sebastian] Vettel was a big fiasco when he heard he wouldn't get a new contract."

Vilander thinks that Mercedes has looked at the situation of Ferrari last season and therefore expects that the German team will not make the same mistake. He also doesn't expect Hamilton to continue after the next two years, which makes it logical to contract a young driver like Russell.

Many see Russell as the perfect successor to Hamilton as leader of the Mercedes team, but before that happens, two years of experience alongside the seven-time world champion will be a fine addition. "Russell is part of the Mercedes programme. If they want to promote him to Mercedes, they can easily do it at the end of the year. Russell probably won't be happy with another contract at Williams."