Valtteri Bottas will be heading back to the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team as Reserve Driver for 2025 after parting company with Kick Sauber following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
As a result of Kick Sauber opting not to re-sign Bottas for 2025, choosing Nico Hulkenberg and Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto instead, the Finn began talks with Mercedes about a possible reserve role so he could stay in contention for a return to a full drive in 2026.
Bottas drove for the Mercedes team for five seasons with teammate Lewis Hamilton between 2017 and 2021, and during that time secured 10 Grands Prix victories 20 pole positions and 67 podiums and played a key role in the team’s five consecutive Constructors’ World Championships.
During his time at Sauber, which was Alfa Romeo at the time, the Finn had mixed fortunes, from finishing a strong 10th in 2022 to failing to score any points this season.
On his move to Mercedes, Bottas said:
“I’m happy to finally answer the question I’ve posed over the past month. Returning home to the Mercedes family as Third Driver for 2025 is what’s next and I couldn’t be more pleased. I want to thank Toto, the team at Brackley, and everyone at the three-pointed star for welcoming me back with open arms.
“Despite the challenges of the past few years, I know that I’ve still got so much more to contribute to F1. Since I was a five-year-old kid growing up in Nastola, Finland, my focus has been on achieving success in the top tier of motorsport. I’ve been fortunate to have enjoyed many incredible moments in my 12 years of racing in F1 so far. As I return to the place where so many of those moments were achieved, I’m looking forward to using all the knowledge I’ve gained to help the team to perform and progress towards our goal of fighting for world championships.”
Toto Wolff added:
“Welcome home, Valtteri! It’s great to have you back. His impact and contribution in the five years he was with us previously as our race driver was immense. Along with scoring multiple Grands Prix wins, he played a vital role in five of our championship victories. His technical feedback and input were important in helping us to those successes and pushing the team forward. Not only that, but he was also a fantastic colleague and team member. His dry sense of humour and personable nature made him a firm favourite with everyone at Brackley and Brixworth. In his role as Reserve Driver, all those qualities will be incredibly important in helping us compete for world championships and supporting both George and Kimi on track.”
Author Bio:
Simon Burrell is a UK-based motoring and travel journalist and editor, a member of the Guild of Motoring Writers and former saloon car racing driver.
Photograph courtesy of Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team
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