Bottas will bring 'positive energy' to Alfa Romeo in F1 2022

Bottas switches to Alfa Romeo after five years with Mercedes alongside Lewis Hamilton.

During his time with F1’s dominant force, Bottas took 10 wins, 20 pole positions and 58 podium finishes while helping Mercedes to five consecutive constructors’ championships.

The Finn finished runner-up twice to his teammate but couldn’t mount a credible title charge with Hamilton winning the championships well before the end of the season in 2019 and 2020.

With Bottas teaming up with F1 rookie Guanyu Zhou, he will effectively be the team leader for Alfa Romeo going into the new regulations.

Speaking at the season finale in Abu Dhabi, Vasseur believes his long relationship with Bottas - having worked with him in the junior categories - is beneficial. 

“Yes,” Vasseur said when asked if Bottas would bring positive energy to the team. “We are very often in contact, it’s not just about the fact we run together but we were in contact the last 12 or 14 years. 

“I know that for him it’s a new chapter of his career and he take the fact he will be key to the system as a new opportunity.”

Vasseur believes Bottas will be a key figure in helping Alfa Romeo develop given his experience with Mercedes.

“I think he was and it’s quite natural when you are the teammate of Lewis, you are a little bit in the shadow of your teammate and with us it will be a strong pillar of the performance of the development of the team,” he added. “I think it was also for him an important step and I’m really convinced that he will achieve in this position.”