Bottas stays at Mercedes, Ocon joins Renault

Valtteri Bottas will remain as Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes team-mate next year while Esteban Ocon will replace Nico Hulkenberg at Renault, the teams announced Thursday.

Frenchman Ocon's return to a race seat after a season spent as test and reserve driver with Mercedes was announced soon after the champions Mercedes had decided to give Bottas a fourth year alongside the five-time champion Hamilton.

On a busy first day back after the European summer shutdown, the Formula One paddock was alive with transfer talk and other speculation including a likely return to action by Marcus Ericsson at Alfa Romeo ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday.

Ocon has been signed on a two-year contract as team-mate for Daniel Ricciardo in a bid to boost the French team's competitiveness, a move that has left the widely-liked Hulkenberg in search of a vacant seat for 2020.

"First and foremost, I am very proud to become a Renault driver," said Ocon, formerly a test driver with the team.

"I have grown up at Enstone, starting with Lotus in 2010 and then with Renault.

"I am very attached to this team and everyone who works there -- they are the ones who opened the doors of top level motorsport for me.

"Secondly, I am pleased that a team with big ambitions has entrusted me with the opportunity to once again demonstrate my skills at the highest level of F1."
Hulkenberg was praised for his work with the team. Renault team boss Cyril Abiteboul said he had made a "phenomenal contribution."
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"The first part of this season has been more challenging, but I know we can count on him and deliver together throughout the second half of the year."
"It is a difficult situation for him [Ericsson] also because he had a race, but that is how it is. I would say it is getting better, so we will see how it is."
"My overall target is to become Formula One world champion. I believe that on paper, and from my experience with the team, Mercedes is the best option for me to achieve that goal in 2020."
Team chief Toto Wolff said Bottas had shown his best form this year and remained "hungry for more and determined to keep on improving and raising his level - the mind-set we want from all our team members."