Valtteri Bottas returns home.
The Finnish driver announced on Thursday that he will return to Mercedes for the F1 season as the team's reserve driver. Bottas spent five F1 seasons with Mercedes alongside Lewis Hamilton, helping the team win five consecutive F1 Constructors' Championships.
Bottas has driven for Alfa Romeo (which became Sauber last year) for the past three years after Mercedes decided to pair Hamilton with George Russell for the 2022 season. However, Bottas lost his role when the team announced Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortleto would be its 2025 drivers ahead of the team becoming Audi works-run in 2026.
This gives the driver a humorous “[w]Is a hat next? ” Post on social media.
I understand now.
“I'm happy to finally be able to answer the questions I've been posing over the last month. Returning home to the Mercedes family as third driver in 2025 is my next goal and I couldn't be happier,” said Bottas of the team. said at the announcement. “I would like to thank Toto, the Brackley team and everyone at Three Pointed Stars for welcoming me with open arms.
“Despite the challenges of the past few years, I know I still have a lot to contribute to F1. I have been successful at the top level of motorsport since the age of five growing up in Nastra, Finland. “I've been focusing on that,” Bottas added. “We have been lucky to enjoy many great moments over the past 12 years of F1 racing. We will be able to return to the places where many of those moments were achieved and use all the knowledge we have gained to help the team I’m looking forward to performing and moving towards my goal of competing at the World Championship.”
The team perfectly announced the move on social media with an image featuring the driver's signature mustache and mullet.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff praised the driver.
“Welcome back, Valtteri! We're so happy to have you back. His influence and contribution during his five years with us as a former race driver was immeasurable,” said Wolff. “In addition to multiple Grand Prix wins, he played a key role in five of our championship wins. His technical feedback and input helped us achieve success and lead the team forward.” It was important to make this happen.
“Along with that, he was a great colleague and team member. His dry sense of humor and affable personality made him a firm favorite with everyone at Brackley and Brixworth.As a reserve driver In his role, all these qualities will be very important in helping us compete in the World Championship and supporting both George and Kimi on the track.
Mercedes will have George Russell and rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli as their driver duo for 2025. But Bottas will be getting a driver with impressive F1 experience, 10 grand prix wins, 20 pole positions and, as Wolff pointed out, the ability to provide superior technique. Providing feedback throughout the season is an important element of the reserve driver role.
They also have one of the best personalities in the sport.
