Could Valtteri Bottas be set to return to Mercedes as reserve driver?
Outgoing Audi F1 driver Valtteri Bottas has revealed he is “very excited for the future and what’s next” amid mounting rumours that he could rejoin Mercedes as reserve driver for the F1 2025 season.
Audi F1, who will take over the existing Sauber team in 2026, confirmed their driver lineup for F1 2025 on Wednesday with F2 championship leader Gabriel Bortoleto signed as Nico Hulkenberg’s team-mate.
Valtteri Bottas ‘excited’ for future as Mercedes F1 2025 return rumours mount
Additional reporting by Michelle Foster
The signing of Bortoleto is almost certain set to signal the end of Bottas‘s hopes of remaining on the grid for F1 2025, with the only remaining question marks on the driver market hanging over the two Red Bull-affiliated teams.
Bottas, 34, told media including PlanetF1.com at the recent Mexican Grand Prix that he “would consider” returning to Mercedes in a reserve role for next season, having claimed 10 victories in a five-year spell with the Brackley-based outfit between 2017 and 2021.
The departure of seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari will see Mercedes lose a vast chunk of experience for F1 2025, with teenage sensation Andrea Kimi Antonelli promoted as George Russell’s new team-mate.
In a clip posted to social media, Bottas offered his thanks to Sauber as he prepares to leave the team after three seasons.
And he teased that is “very excited” about his next move, with a return to Mercedes said to be on the cards.
Bottas said: “Hi everyone, I guess you might have seen the news that I won’t be racing in Formula 1 with Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber in 2025.
“I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you all for all the support out there in the past, now and in the future and also big thanks to the team for everything.
“When one door closes, another one opens – and I’m actually very excited for the future and what’s next.”
Bottas revealed at last month’s United States GP that he had agreed terms on a deal to stay with Sauber for next season, only to see the team elect for Bortoleto.
Addressing the decision to release Bottas on Wednesday, Audi F1 chief Mattia Binotto it was a tough decision to drop the popular Finn.
He told media including PlanetF1.com: “First I am getting on well, very, very well with Valtteri.
“It has been since I’ve started here in August, a great relationship, building it, trusting each others, and I think we really set up good communication between us.
“We had several talks about the journey, the length, duration of the journey, the difficulties we may be facing the next season. We know that the next one will be a difficult season as a team, as a journey to towards the Audi F1 transformation.
“It’s a long, long journey and I think that’s mainly on the duration where we reflect together a lot, and it’s when we came and I came to the conclusion that maybe we need to have a young driver with us.
“So it has been really a mutual understanding, if not agreement. Certainly a mutual understanding of the situation, the facts of what’s required.
“More than that, I’d like you to underline is I think he has been certainly a very strong candidate.
“I know he’s very fast. I know that he has proven to be very fast, still to be very fit, he knows the team, and certainly here he is very high rated, and he’s very highly rated in the paddock.
“So overall, it has not been an easy one, but sometimes you need to come to a conclusion and make a decision and lead.”
