VALTTERI BOTTAS DELIVERS FIRST MERCEDES ASSESSMENT SINCE RETURN MOVE SEALED

Valtteri Bottas is returning to Mercedes three years after signing with Sauber and three years after they last won a title, but he is convinced they’ll regain the titles.

Bottas last raced for Mercedes in 2021, the Finn’s final year marking the end of their double as Lewis Hamilton lost the World title to Max Verstappen although Mercedes still retained the Constructors’ crown.

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It was their eighth in a row for the teams’ title, while Hamilton’s defeat to Verstappen meant the end of the Brackley squad’s seven-year run in the individual championship.

It also signalled the end of Bottas’ stay.

Dropped by Mercedes in favour of junior driver George Russell, the Finn joined the Alfa Romeo-Sauber squad in developing them into a race-winning organisation.

But with the results declining in every one of his three years in Hinwil, largely, it must be noted, in light of the team’s upheaval as they build towards the F1 2026 Audi rebranding, he parted ways with the team and was quickly snapped up by his former team Mercedes.

Bottas returns to the team surprised like many that Mercedes won only five races in the three seasons since he departed, the Brackley squad unable to get on top of the new ground-effect aerodynamic cars.

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“Yeah, I think like everyone, didn’t quite maybe expect the struggles they’ve had since,” he told Motorsport Week. “But yeah, this sport goes in cycles.

“I feel like there’s hints that they’re kind of coming back. Sometimes having some great performances, still quite track-dependent.

“But yeah, I know how hungry Toto is to get back to winning. So I think eventually they will get there.”

Taking on a reserve driver role for the F1 2025 championship, it has been suggested that Bottas in time will become Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff’s right-hand man.

For now, though, the Finn is hoping for a few on-track sessions in the Mercedes’ F1 car.

“If I were next to stay within Formula 1, I would want to make sure that that option would give me some driving,” he stated prior to the Mercedes announcement. “Whether it’s testing and stuff like that.”

He hasn’t ruled out a return to the grid in 2026 with either a Mercedes outfit or even Cadillac.

“Of course, I need to try and think what’s best for me and it’s a valid point,” he said. “There’s many Mercedes-powered cars on the grid which can suddenly bring opportunities.

“And in this sport, you just never know what happens in any case. Also, there’s ‘26 where things can happen. I think I’m still prepared to stay in the game, let’s say, and try and find a way to be back.”

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2025-01-13T16:20:17Z