Valtteri Bottas can be a Mercedes driver once more in 2025 as their ‘third driver’.
The motive force who gained 10 grands prix for Mercedes between 2017 and 2021 was left with out a drive for subsequent 12 months when he was dropped by Sauber.
Bottas stated he “couldn’t be extra happy” together with his subsequent profession transfer, regardless of going through his first 12 months on the sidelines of F1 since 2012.
“Regardless of the challenges of the previous few years, I do know that I’ve nonetheless received a lot extra to contribute to F1,” he stated. “Since I used to be a five-year-old child rising up in Nastola, Finland, my focus has been on reaching success within the high tier of motorsport. I’ve been lucky to have loved many unbelievable moments in my 12 years of racing in F1 to this point.
“As I return to the place the place so a lot of these moments had been achieved, I’m trying ahead to utilizing all of the information I’ve gained to assist the staff to carry out and progress in direction of our aim of preventing for world championships.”
Bottas had been anticipating to spend a fifth season at Williams in 2017 when world champion Nico Rosberg unexpectedly left Mercedes, making a emptiness which he stuffed. He completed runner-up to staff mate Lewis Hamilton within the 2019 and 2020 world championships, and helped Mercedes win the constructors’ titles in all 5 seasons he drove for them.
Mercedes staff principal Toto Wolff welcomed again his former driver, whom he additionally managed earlier in his profession.
“His impression and contribution within the 5 years he was with us beforehand as our race driver was immense,” stated Wolff. “Together with scoring a number of grands prix wins, he performed a significant function in 5 of our championship victories.”
Mercedes’ race drivers for 2025 are George Russell, who changed Bottas in 2022, and rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
NB. The above story has been up to date as Mercedes initially introduced Bottas can be their ‘reserve driver’, then clarified his title is ‘third driver’.
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