F1: Valtteri Bottas returns to Mercedes as reserve driver | Motor-sport News
Mercedes on Thursday has confirmed that Valtteri Bottas will rejoin the team as a reserve driver for the 2025 season after the Finn and Kick Sauber parted ways following the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Bottas drove for Mercedes alongside Lewis Hamilton for five seasons from 2017 to 2021, earning all ten of his career wins and 20 pole positions in Formula One. He would subsequently join Sauber, then known as Alfa Romeo, for the 2022 season, after Mercedes decided to promote George Russell in his place. The Finn has had inconsistent results with the Swiss squad, ranging from a good 10th place in 2022 to failing to score at all in 2024. When Kick Sauber decided not to re-sign Bottas in 2025 -Instead of a combination of Nico Hulkenberg and Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto, the Finn began discussions with Mercedes about a reserve role in order to remain in the conversation as he chases a racing return in 2026. “Along with scoring multiple Grands Prix wins, he played a vital role in five of …

