Valtteri Bottas to return to Mercedes as reserve driver

Valtteri Bottas will return to Mercedes as a reserve driver next year after missing out on a seat in Formula 1 in 2025.

Bottas was Lewis Hamilton’s teammate at Mercedes from 2017 to 2021 before moving to Sauber when he was replaced by George Russell in 2022.

Following three tough seasons at Sauber his contract was not renewed for 2025 after the Swiss team, which is set to become Audi in 2026, signed Nico Hülkenberg and Formula 2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto for 2025.

Following Hamilton’s decision to leave for Ferrari in 2025, Mercedes’ driver line-up will feature Russell and rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli next year, with Bottas acting as reserve.

After retiring from his final race with Sauber in Abu Dhabi earlier this month, Bottas said: “This is not the way I want to finish, which is why I’m not done yet.”

Source: espn.com