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With Kick Sauber signing Gabriel Bortoleto, veteran F1 driver Valtteri Bottas's options for the 2025 season have shrunk. Reports suggest that the Finnish racer could make a sensational return to his former team, Mercedes-AMG, in the reserve driver role.
Bottas debuted in F1 with Williams in 2013. After spending four years with the British team, he joined Mercedes as a replacement for the 2016 Formula 1 world champion Nico Rosberg. Bottas consistently delivered good results for the Brackley-based team for three years. However, with a drop in performance in 2020 and 2021, Mercedes swapped the 10x Grand Prix winner with George Russell.
Bottas joined Kick Sauber in 2022, alongside Chinese rookie Zhou Guanyu. With Audi set to acquire the Swiss team in 2026, and having already signed Nico Hulkenberg and Bortoleto from 2025 onward, the 35-year-old driver is left with no seat on the grid.
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As per several reports, Bottas is considering returning to Mercedes as a reserve driver next season. He spoke about the same during a media interaction during the Mexican Grand Prix weekend.
"Firstly, the priority is to stay as a race driver, that’s what I want, and that’s what I’m pushing for with Mattia. But, of course, as I don’t have anything signed – we’re in October – I’ve got to look at all the alternatives including going back to the Mercedes family. That’s for sure one option and I would consider it," Bottas said.
"But there’s other options as well, as well as going back to my priority, which is to be a race driver even more," he added.
The same was shared on X by a Formula 1 news page. Here's a look at the post, captioned:
"Valtteri Bottas is understood to be considering a reserve driver role with Mercedes."
"I really can’t do more with this car" - Valtteri Bottas on being unable to showcase his best performance with the 2024 Kick Sauber race car
Despite his best efforts, Valtteri Bottas was only able to finish 13th in the Mexican Grand Prix. With no seat yet for the 2025 season, the Finnish racer shared his opinion on being unable to showcase top performance with Kick Sauber's C44 after the race.
"It’s usual – when there is no confirmation there [are] questions, and unfortunately the same situation this weekend. I’m still waiting, the ball is in their camp basically. I feel like I did the job in Mexico and at the moment I really can’t do more with this car and showcase more what I can do than what I’m doing at the moment, so all I can do is wait," Valtteri Bottas said during a post-race media interaction.
With just three races to go, this happens to be the first Formula 1 season where Bottas has failed to score a single point.
