Valtteri Bottas, once Lewis Hamilton's trusted teammate and a cornerstone of Mercedes' dominance, has officially been dropped from the Formula 1 grid for the 2025 season. After a string of disappointing performances following his departure from Arrows Silver, the Finnish driver finds himself without a steering wheel, signaling a potential end to his time as a full-time F1 competitor.
From Mercedes Star to Sauber Struggles
Bottas burst onto the scene with Mercedes in 2017, taking center stage following the shock retirement of Nico Rosberg. Managed by Toto Wolff, Bottas played the perfect supporting role for Hamilton, scoring 10 Grand Prix victories and helping the team achieve an unprecedented run of constructors' championships.
But despite moments of brilliance, Bottas has often been criticized for his inconsistency. When George Russell started knocking on Mercedes' door, Bottas' future with the team became increasingly uncertain. In 2022, Bottas made the jump to Sauber (now Audi), hoping to open a new chapter in his career. Instead, it marked the start of a steep decline.
The Decline: From Top 10 Contender to Fleeting Thought on the Grid
Bottas' first season with Sauber in 2022 showed promise. He finished 10th in the standings with 49 points, steadily outperforming teammate Zhou Guanyu. However, as Sauber's car became less competitive, Bottas' results fell.
- 2023 : Bottas only managed to secure 10 points, finishing a disappointing P15 in the Drivers' Championship. Sauber's difficulties were evident, and Bottas failed to shine in an underperforming car.
- 2024 : Things went from bad to catastrophic. Bottas failed to score a single point and finished the season outside the top 20, marking the first time Zhou Guanyu had surpassed him in a season.
This disastrous performance left Audi, Sauber's future partner, with few options other than to seek new talent for their 2025 project. Bottas and Zhou were both shown the door, replaced by Nico Hulkenberg and the prodigy of McLaren, Gabriel Bortoleto.
No Place on the Grid: Bottas' Career at a Crossroads
At 35, Bottas found himself out of favor even with smaller teams like Haas and Alpine, both of whom chose to gamble on rookies rather than relying on the Finn's experience. It became clear that Bottas, once a key player in Formula 1, had disappeared from the grid radar.
In a last-ditch effort to stay connected to the sport, Bottas returned to Mercedes in a reserve driver role for 2025. While this keeps him in the F1 ecosystem and may offer slight hope of a return in 2026, his downfall is undeniable.
A Legacy Difficult to Define
Bottas' story is one of fleeting brilliance and unrealized potential. His contributions to Mercedes' dominance cannot be ignored: 10 race victories and numerous critical performances helped the team win Constructors' Championships. But outside the Brackley bubble, Bottas has struggled to establish himself as a leader or consistent contender.
Although his time in Formula 1 may not have ended as he hoped, Bottas' return to Mercedes as a reserve driver offers a slim chance of remaining relevant. For now, the question remains: can the 10-race winner find his way back, or is this the final chapter of his F1 journey?
