Mercedes will rehire Valtteri Bottas as their reserve driver for the 2025 Formula 1 season, following the end of his tenure at Sauber. The Finnish driver, who won 10 Grand Prix victories during a successful four-year spell with the Silver Arrows between 2017 and 2021, will return to a familiar environment after Mercedes dropped him ahead of the 2022 season.
Valtteri Bottas’s departure from Mercedes in 2022 was a significant change for the team, as Toto Wolff, the team principal, opted to promote George Russell from Williams, replacing Bottas alongside seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. For 2025, Russell will again lead the team, joined by Mercedes junior Andrea Kimi Antonelli, while Ferrari will add Hamilton to their reshuffled lineup.
Speaking about his return to Mercedes, Bottas expressed his excitement at rejoining the team.
“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,” Bottas said. “Despite the challenges of the past few years, I know I’ve still got so much more to contribute to F1.”
Bottas’s return to Mercedes comes after a three-year stint at Sauber, where he initially hoped to continue his career with the rebranded Audi team. However, the relationship with Sauber soured after promising results in the first year, leading Bottas to consider the move a mistake. Sauber’s performance decline, along with the departure of former team principal Fred Vasseur to Ferrari, left Bottas frustrated with the team’s trajectory.
Reflecting on his time at Sauber, Bottas said:
“Everything started well in the first year, but since then, it was downhill. We can’t predict the future, but I just want to make sure the next move I make is going to be a good one. Hopefully, better times are ahead.”
Bottas’s decision to leave Sauber came after the team signed Nico Hulkenberg and later, F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto, as part of their 2025 lineup. Bottas had hoped to stay with the team but the team ultimately left him without a seat.
Looking ahead to his new role at Mercedes, Bottas is eager to use his experience to support the team’s championship ambitions.
“Since I was a five-year-old kid growing up in Nastola, Finland, my focus has always been on achieving success in the top tier of motorsport. I’ve been fortunate to have enjoyed many incredible moments in F1, and now I’m looking forward to contributing to Mercedes’s future successes.”
With Bottas back in the fold, Mercedes is poised to have a wealth of experience available as they aim for continued dominance in Formula 1, while Mick Schumacher, the current reserve driver, will depart at the end of 2024.
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