Valtteri Bottas, tipped to return to Mercedes as reserve driver in 2025, could perhaps get an even more important role.
While he hoped to keep his seat at Sauber in 2025, Valtteri Bottas was ultimately not chosen to support Nico Hülkenberg. The young Gabriel Bortoleto was, in fact, preferred. Without a starting seat in 2025, Valtteri Bottas could return to Mercedes as a reserve driver.
Valtteri Bottas knows the Mercedes house well having driven there between 2017 and 2021, winning 10 victories in the process, and participating in five Constructors' World Champion titles.
Read also: Video – Valtteri Bottas completed an improbable Ironman
Could Bottas get closer to the role that was held by d'Ambrosio?
However, a new rumor indicates that Bottas could be returning to the Silver Arrows in a role as advisor to team principal Toto Wolff. In any case, this is what Christian Fittipaldi, former F1 driver and nephew of Emerson Fittipaldi, reported.
“What I was told at the circuit is that it seems that he [Bottas] will return to Mercedes and that he will be a bit of an advisor to Toto [Wolff]”, said Fittipaldi on the Pelas Pistas podcast. “Valtteri has experience and history with them and his return to Mercedes would make perfect sense. Toto really values his experience and believes in what he can bring to the team.”
“Don't forget that Jerome d'Ambrosio has moved to Ferrari, so there is room for Bottas. I’m not entirely sure his role will be similar, but I think he’ll be there.”
As a reminder, Jérôme d'Ambrosio was officially the director of the young driver development program at Mercedes, but also seemed to be a close collaborator of Toto Wolff. The Belgian has since joined Scuderia Ferrari on October 1 as deputy team principal and head of the Ferrari Driver Academy.
Read also: Presentation, timetables, and live videos of the 2024 Macau Grand Prix
