F1 veteran Valtteri Bottas, who heads into his final races with Sauber, looks set to rejoin Mercedes as the Brackley squad's reserve driver for 2025.
A ten-time Grand Prix winner with Mercedes during his five-year tenure with the team, Bottas moved to Sauber in 2022, but the Finn's expectations with the Swiss outfit were never met.
The speculation around Bottas' next move has grown since Sauber confirmed he would be departing at the end of 2024. Despite his hopes of securing a full-time seat elsewhere, the Finn has had to adapt to the realities of a shrinking grid.
Mercedes, however, looks ready to offer a soft landing for its former driver, likely in a support role for the team's 2025 line-up comprised of George Russell and rookie Kimi Antonelli.
While no deal has yet been finalized, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff clearly cast a positive view on Bottas' potential homecoming.
“Nothing is signed, nothing is done, but if we were to have him back in the family, we would all be full of joy,” the Austrian told Viaplay last weekend in Las Vega.
“I mean, what you can say is that if you have the opportunity in having a driver like Valtteri back in the Mercedes family, with his ability, with his most recent experience of these modern cars, you can call yourself super lucky.”
While negotiations are ongoing, Wolff hinted that the process was heading in the right direction:
“Very much,” he said. “You know negotiations at the end, lawyers always want to make contracts fail! “I'm joking, they are great lawyers, and it's a matter of time.”
Bottas, who is set to conclude a challenging season with Sauber, is eager to continue his career in Formula 1, albeit in a different capacity.
“The way my active F1 driving career ended for now, it wasn't the best way that you can't really decide yourself,” commented the 35-year-old.
“I feel like I still have lots to give for the sport and I still love it. I love racing against the best drivers in the world, in the best cars in the world. That's what I love. So I'm just trying to figure out now what is the next move.”
Bottas acknowledged the unpredictability of the sport but is determined to seize new opportunities.
“I'm taking it day by day,” he added. “There's some interesting stuff on the table and then we'll see. You know, life goes on. There's lots of exciting things ahead. It's a tricky sport.
"I think I got into a bit unlucky situation, in terms of hanging on to the last seat on the grid. And when that doesn't happen, then obviously you're out for now.”
As Wolff and Bottas continue their discussions, the potential return of one of F1's most experienced drivers to the Mercedes family seems not just likely but fitting – a move that keeps Bottas's passion for racing alive while providing Mercedes with a proven asset.
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