The Mercedes AMG F1 team has again signed their best-ever Wingman who supported them from the 2016 to 2021 season. Yes! We are talking about the fashion icon and racer Valtteri Bottas who will join his old team as a reserve driver to support Kimi Antonelli and George Russell for the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Valtteri Bottas was driving for Williams in 2016 when he got a call from Mercedes to join them as Nico Rosberg announced his retirement. Bottas was very impressive at Mercedes being the perfect wingman for Lewis Hamilton against Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari.
After George Russell joined the team in 2021 Bottas joined Alfa Romeo (Now Sauber F1), and for the last 4 years, he raced for them. After Audi bought the Sauber team they wanted a new lineup in 2025. So Bottas and Zhou Guanyu's contracts were not retained, leaving them stranded without a team.
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Bottas back in Mercedes
Bottas wanted to join his old team Mercedes as a reserve driver. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff accepted the offer and will now replace Mick Schumacher as the team's reserve driver for the 2025 F1 season. He is the only experienced driver in Mercedes more than George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.
The Finnish driver had a disastrous 2024 season at Stake F1 Kick Sauber team as he completed the season without scoring any points. The car was terrible, and the two drivers always finished the race at the back of the grid. Bottas got a chance to score points at the Australian Grand Prix but his team's bizarre pit stop error has cost him.
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The team found pace in the last few races where Zhou Guanyu scored 4 points by finishing 8th at the Qatar Grand Prix. Bottas was impressive in the Abu Dhabi GP qualifying but couldn't convert it into points during the main race.
Valtteri Bottas is the only Finn driver after Kimi Raikkonen to win a race in Formula 1 in the last ten years. After the official announcement, Bottas is very happy to rejoin the Mercedes family and expressed his commitment and contribution to the team's success.
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