Valtteri Bottas is heading back to Mercedes, where he enjoyed his most successful years in Formula 1. The Finnish driver will serve as the team’s third driver for 2025.
It’s a homecoming that makes perfect sense. During his time as Lewis Hamilton‘s teammate at Mercedes, Bottas claimed 10 Grand Prix victories and even finished second in the championship.
Fans have been wondering about his next move ever since he left Sauber. Bottas had been teasing them on social media, posting videos with the question “What next?”
Now we finally have the answer.
“I’m happy to finally answer the question I’ve been asking over the past month,” Bottas said. “Returning home to the Mercedes family as Third Driver for 2025 is what’s next and I couldn’t be more pleased.”
The 34-year-old was quick to thank Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and the entire team at their Brackley headquarters for “welcoming me back with open arms.”
For Bottas, this move is about more than just finding a new role. It’s about returning to the place where he achieved his greatest successes in 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,” he explained. “I’ve been fortunate to have enjoyed many incredible moments in my 12 years of racing in F1 so far.”
The switch to a reserve driver role came after Sauber decided not to extend his contract. With no full-time race seats available on the 2025 grid, Bottas opted for this quieter role – though he’s not done with F1 racing yet.
His goal? To return to full-time racing in 2026.
“Despite the challenges of the past few years, I know that I’ve still got so much more to contribute to F1,” Bottas said. He’s confident his experience can help Mercedes in their quest to return to championship-winning form.
