Bottas Delighted To Return To Mercedes For 2025 Formula One
2 years ago 2 min read
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Valtteri Bottas will return to Mercedes as a reserve driver next year after missing out on a seat in Formula 1 in 2025.
Bottas was Lewis Hamilton’s teammate at Mercedes from 2017 to 2021 before moving to Sauber when he was replaced by George Russell in 2022.
Following three tough seasons at Sauber his contract was not renewed for 2025 after the Swiss team signed Nico Hülkenberg and Formula 2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto for 2025.
Mercedes’ driver line-up will now feature Russell, and rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli next year with Bottas acting as reserve.
Bottas expressed his delight with the opportunity to represent Mercedes next year.
He said: “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.”
Bottas achieved 10 race wins, 20 pole positions, 19 fastest laps and 67 podiums in Formula One.
He holds the Formula One record for the most career points without a World Drivers’ Championship (1,797).
Last season, Bottas failed to score points for the first time in his Formula One career and finished twenty-second in the standings, ahead of Logan Sargeant and Jack Doohan on countback.
