Valtteri Bottas is returning to Mercedes as their reserve driver for 2025.
The 35-year-old Finn was a free agent after being launched by Audi-owned Sauber on the finish of this season following three years with the Swiss group.
Bottas drove for Mercedes from 2017-21, profitable 10 races and taking 20 pole positions. He’ll function back-up for race drivers George Russell and novice Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
Bottas mentioned: “Returning house to the Mercedes household as third driver for 2025 is what’s subsequent and I could not be extra happy.
“Regardless of the challenges of the previous few years, I do know that I’ve nonetheless acquired a lot extra to contribute to F1.
“Since I used to be a five-year-old child rising up in Nastola, Finland, my focus has been on attaining success within the prime tier of motorsport. I have 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 lots of these moments had been achieved, I am trying ahead to utilizing all of the data I’ve gained to assist the group to carry out and progress in direction of our purpose of preventing for world championships.”
Mercedes group principal Toto Wolff mentioned: “It is nice to have [Bottas] again. His affect and contribution within the 5 years he was with us beforehand as our race driver was immense.
“Together with scoring a number of grand prix wins, he performed a significant position in 5 of our championship victories.
“His technical suggestions and enter had been necessary in serving to us to these successes and pushing the group ahead. Not solely that, however he was additionally a implausible colleague and group member.
“His dry sense of humour and personable nature made him a agency favorite with everybody at Brackley and Brixworth [Mercedes’ chassis and engine headquarters].
“In his position as reserve driver, all these qualities will probably be extremely necessary in serving to us compete for world championships and supporting each George and Kimi on monitor.”
Bottas mentioned on the closing race of the season that his transfer to Sauber had been “a mistake”.
The Swiss group has been purchased by Audi as the premise for his or her official entry to F1 in 2026. They most well-liked German veteran Nico Hulkenberg and Brazilian novice Gabriel Bortoleto, who received the Method 2 title this yr, to Bottas.
