Valtteri Bottas confirms he is in talks with Mercedes F1 about taking on a reserve driver role for next season.
The Finnish driver has his sights set on a return to the Formula 1 grid in 2026, stating he has turned down an IndyCar offer to focus on this goal.
Sauber’s decision to sign rookie driver Gabriel Bortoleto for 2025 alongside Nico Hulkenberg has officially left Bottas in the lurch without a full-time seat for the upcoming season. However, the Finnish driver remains optimistic about his future in motorsport, leveraging his experience and reputation to explore other opportunities.
Is a return for Bottas to Mercedes F1 on the cards?
Bottas is committed to Formula 1, even if it means taking on a reserve role for the time being.
The Finn confirmed he is in talks with Mercedes F1 about a potential return to his former team, with discussions centering around the reserve driver role, a position recently vacated by Mick Schumacher.
Bottas spent several fruitful seasons with the Brackley-based team, securing ten race victories, finishing as runner-up twice in the Drivers’ Championship and contributing to the Mercedes F1 haul of five consecutive Constructors’ titles between 2017 and 2021.
“We are talking and yeah, it’s going well. Still a bit of work to do, but we’re talking,” Bottas said on Thursday.
He admitted that it’s not ideal to transition to a non-racing role at this point in his career, but highlighted that his experience and familiarity with the team would make him a great candidate for the role.
“If I end up there, I think I would have a lot to give for a rookie driver [Kimi Antonelli] who’s not raced in Formula 1 yet. That would be for sure one of my roles, to give my input and share my knowledge as much as I can,” he explained.
Bottas outlines strategy to stay in Formula 1
The reserve driver role could allow Bottas to stay involved in F1 with Mercedes while keeping tabs on any potential opportunities that may arise.
In recent years, the likes of Alex Albon and Esteban Ocon were both able to secure full-time seats after spending a season in a reserve driver capacity.
“Yes, it’s a different situation,” Bottas said.
“It is now 12 years ago that I was in that role [as Williams’ reserve driver]. And that is when you’re trying to get into Formula 1, so you’re willing to stand around.
“Now, if I were to take that role, it would be for sure difficult to [just] watch.
“But at the same time, I feel like I have lots of things I can give to a team. Toto [Wolff] seems to know what he gets from me and how I could help the team.”
Bottas continued: “I think it’s a really solid option. I really appreciate what Toto said last weekend. There’s still a bit of work to do to finalise some things.
“It’s been a while that I’m now in the situation that I can decide yes or no on a few different things now.
“I just want at least a few more days or one or two weeks. Probably get over with the season, then sit down and finish it.”
Cadillac entry sparks hope for F1 seat in 2026
Bottas reiterated that Formula 1 remains his priority as he eyes the opportunities that may arise as Cadillac joins the grid in 2026.
“My priority still stays Formula 1,” Bottas said.
“I feel like I’m not done yet with this sport. (…) Whatever I do, I really want to keep driving. Even if it’s just testing, it’s better than nothing.
“I think to be around, to be able to hopefully do some testing, etc…it gives me a chance for 2026. Because in this sport, you just never know what happens.
“There is also a new team joining, which means two more seats. That obviously increases the opportunities for 2026.”
Asked for his thoughts on the news of Cadillac’s entry and whether having an 11th team boosts the chances of finding a full-time role, Bottas said, “Yes, I think that’s just increased the chances of getting a seat for 2026, which ultimately is the goal.
“But like I said, if not, then there are lots of other cool things in other series.
“For sure I’m not the only one [interested in a Cadillac seat]. But of course it’s interesting for me and I think it’s great for F1. It’s a great brand.
“GM is a big backer behind, so for sure it’s an interesting project.”
An update on future plans
The Finnish driver may be out of a full-time drive for next season, but he has no intention of stepping away from motosport.
“Next up is Race of Champions, that’s before Melbourne,” he said.
“In any case, next year I won’t be racing a full season somewhere else, but I might do some one-off things depending on where I end up and how much driving or testing I will get to do.
“I’ll be driving something, but not a full season.”
He added: “Indy 500 has always been on the list. I’ve always been a fan of V8 supercars, these kind of things.
“At the moment, I’m still pretty open. First, I need to decide what is the next move, and then we’ll see.”
Why Bottas ruled out a move to IndyCar
Bottas admitted that he opted to turn down an opportunity to race in the American IndyCar series, as he feels it would be too radical of a switch.
“I did get a solid offer for a 25-seater,” he said.
“It’s a conscious decision. I think it just comes too quick.
“Let’s say, for example, jumping into a full IndyCar season after 12 years of F1. I just feel like it comes a bit too quick, because there’s a lot of hard work and a lot of familiarisation to be done.
“I’d rather take just a bit of time, figure out what’s next and go from there. At this point, I’ve made it pretty clear that next year comes a bit too quick.”
