ඣAf🐷ter months of speculation, Mercedes finally announced that Russell will be Valtteri Bottas’ replacement.

The news was sparked by Alfa Romeo’s announcement on Monday that Bottas will spear the team’s driver l🦩ine-up for 2022 a🌼nd beyond.

Hamilton has consistently praised Bottas during their time as teammates, labelling him as his ‘best teammaꦗte ever’.

Following Russell’s announcement, Hamilton took to socia🌠l media to welcome his new 𒐪teammate. 

“I want to take a moment to welcome [Russell] to the team,” he wrote. “I remember meeting him when he was young, dreaming of one day being a Formula 1 driver. I’d only just reachedꦗ my own dream of becoming an F1 driver, so I know what this day means and how it will feel for him.

“He is a great example to all the kids out there that dre🍸ams do come𝓰 true when you chase them wholeheartedly.”

Despite having fractious rela🍷tionships with some of his former teammates in the past - Nico Rosberg and Fernando Alonso - Hamilton is confident of maintaining a good relat🌟ionship with Russell.

He said ahead of the Dutch GP: “I think George is an incredi🍨bly talented driver, clearly. I’d say probably the only highlight from last week was his qualifying lap, it was amazing. I think he’s humble, I think he’s got a great approach, naturally being British I imagine probably helps in terms of communication helps. 

“At the moment naturally I have to be super-supportive of the teammate I have right now so that’s why I’m always supportive of Valtteri because we have a job to do right now and neither of us can🌼 win the team championship alone. We ♒have to do it collectively. 

“I think it would be… [Russell’s] thඣe future of the sport, I think he’s already shown incredible driving so far and I’m sure he’s going to continue to grow, so where better to do it than a great team like this… or whatever team he goes to.”