Valtteri Bottas will probably be a Mercedes driver once more in 2025 as their ‘third driver’.
The driving force who received 10 grands prix for Mercedes between 2017 and 2021 was left with out a drive for subsequent yr when he was dropped by Sauber.
Bottas mentioned he “couldn’t be extra happy” along with his subsequent profession transfer, regardless of dealing with his first yr on the sidelines of F1 since 2012.
“Regardless of the challenges of the previous few years, I do know that I’ve nonetheless acquired a lot extra to contribute to F1,” he mentioned. “Since I used to be a five-year-old child rising up in Nastola, Finland, my focus has been on attaining success within the high tier of motorsport. I’ve been lucky to have loved many unimaginable moments in my 12 years of racing in F1 to this point.
“As I return to the place the place so lots of these moments have been achieved, I’m trying ahead to utilizing all of the information I’ve gained to assist the workforce to carry out and progress in direction of our purpose of combating for world championships.”
Bottas had been anticipating to spend a fifth season at Williams in 2017 when world champion Nico Rosberg unexpectedly left Mercedes, making a emptiness which he stuffed. He completed runner-up to workforce mate Lewis Hamilton within the 2019 and 2020 world championships, and helped Mercedes win the constructors’ titles in all 5 seasons he drove for them.
Mercedes workforce principal Toto Wolff welcomed again his former driver, whom he additionally managed earlier in his profession.
“His affect and contribution within the 5 years he was with us beforehand as our race driver was immense,” mentioned Wolff. “Together with scoring a number of grands prix wins, he performed an important position in 5 of our championship victories.”
Mercedes’ race drivers for 2025 are George Russell, who changed Bottas in 2022, and rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
NB. The above story has been up to date as Mercedes initially introduced Bottas could be their ‘reserve driver’, then clarified his title is ‘third driver’.
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