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LONDON, Jan 16 (Reuters) - German driver Pascal Wehrlein will race for Sauber this season, the Swiss-based Formula One team said on Monday in a move that clears the way for Finland's Valtteri Bottas to join world champions Mercedes.
Wehrlein, 22, was the Mercedes reserve driver and raced for tail-enders Manor last year.
He and Williams driver Bottas were the leading contenders to replace Germany's world champion Nico Rosberg, who retired in December, at Mercedes.
"It is a new challenge in a new team, and I am really excited and looking forward to this new adventure. Our objective is to establish ourselves in the mid-field and to score points on a regular basis," Wehrlein said in a Sauber statement.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ed Osmond) ((alan.baldwin@thomsonreuters.com; +442075427933; Reuters Messaging: Reuters Messaging: alan.baldwin.reuters.com@thomsonreuters.net))
Wehrlein, 22, was the Mercedes reserve driver and raced for tail-enders Manor last year.
He and Williams driver Bottas were the leading contenders to replace Germany's world champion Nico Rosberg, who retired in December, at Mercedes.
"It is a new challenge in a new team, and I am really excited and looking forward to this new adventure. Our objective is to establish ourselves in the mid-field and to score points on a regular basis," Wehrlein said in a Sauber statement.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ed Osmond) ((alan.baldwin@thomsonreuters.com; +442075427933; Reuters Messaging: Reuters Messaging: alan.baldwin.reuters.com@thomsonreuters.net))
