Mercedes drop major Valtteri Bottas hint ahead of expected return

Valtteri Bottas’ expected return to Mercedes has gathered momentum after the team posted a photograph of the Finn on X featuring an “I miss him” comment from a fan.

After months of speculation that Bottas was the frontrunner to take the second Sauber alongside Nico Hulkenberg, the team confirmed on Wednesday that it was the end of the road for the Finn and his team-mate, Zhou Guanyu.

Is Valtteri Bottas’ Mercedes return a mere formality?

Speaking about “conditions not met” in the official press release, Audi F1 chief Mattia Binotto later expanded on that as he confirmed that the length of the contract was the sticking point between the team and Bottas.

It had been reported that Bottas wanted a multi-year deal but Sauber, which will be rebranded Audi in 2026, only put a one-year deal on the table.

“It’s a long, long journey and I think that’s mainly on the duration where we reflect together a lot, and it’s when we came and I came to the conclusion that maybe we need to have a young driver with us,” Binotto told the media including PlanetF1.com.

“So it has been really a mutual understanding if not agreement. Certainly a mutual understanding of the situation, the facts of what’s required.”

The team instead confirmed rookie driver Gabriel Bortoleto as Hulkenberg’s team-mate in an all-new Sauber line-up.

Bottas, having already weighed up his odds, had a B-plan in mind should he lose out on the Sauber seat.

“I’ve got to look at all the alternatives including going back to the Mercedes family,” he said last month.

And that Mercedes options appears to be a genuine one as Mercedes posted a photograph on X just hours after the Bottas/Sauber announcement.

https://t.co/qUhN802aXO pic.twitter.com/c14xgsc2By

— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) November 6, 2024

Bottas had his biggest successes in Formula 1 with Mercedes, winning 10 Grands Prix and twice finishing runner-up to Lewis Hamilton in the Drivers’ Championship.

He also helped the team win the Constructors’ Championship in every one of the five years he raced for the Silver Arrows.

However, should Bottas join his former team it will be as a reserve driver as Mercedes have already confirmed George Russell and Kimi Antonelli for F1 2025.

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