What’s next? A return to Mercedes. Valtteri Bottas has completed his move back to Brackley as reserve driver for the 2025 F1 season.
The Finnish racer won 10 Grands Prix, scored 67 podiums and clocked up 20 pole positions during a decorated stint at Mercedes but was moved on in 2022 to make room for George Russell‘s arrival.
Bottas wound up at Sauber, but after a promising start to his time with the Hinwil-based team, things went downhill. He left the squad after a pointless 2024 campaign with Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto making up Mattia Binotto’s new driver pairing.
After his Sauber exit was announced, Bottas released a series of teasing videos to fans, all accompanied by the tagline ‘What’s next?’ The Finn even released themed merchandise, with some of the proceeds going to charity.
Now, though, the question has been answered. « I’m happy to finally answer the question I’ve posed over the past month, » Bottas explained on Thursday.
« 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 [Wolff], 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. »
In returning to Mercedes in a reserve capacity, Bottas hopes to follow in the footsteps of Hulkenberg and secure a permanent return to the grid. Failing that, a future in IndyCar or the World Rally Championship is most likely.
Source link
