What next for Valtteri Bottas? Future prediction in ‘spare part is no fun’ verdict

Damon Hill can foresee Valtteri Bottas driving elsewhere in motorsport after his Formula 1 exit, predicting a potential move to the World Endurance Championship in the mould of Mark Webber.

Bottas has been linked with a return to Mercedes as reserve driver after the confirmation he will be leaving Sauber at the end of the season, with Brazilian rookie Gabriel Bortoleto set to step up to Formula 1.

Valtteri Bottas future prediction made amid Mercedes return reports

Bottas is keeping his options open regarding his future, having previously said he would be willing to return to the Mercedes fold if the option arose.

1996 World Champion Hill believes the Finn has more to give in motorsport, however, explaining that taking on a reserve role and “being a spare part” on a race weekend “is no fun” for a driver of his experience.

He referenced former Red Bull driver Webber, who moved to WEC after retiring from Formula 1 in 2013, eventually going on to win the 2015 title in the series with Porsche.

Former Williams driver Hill spoke of the difference in exposure a driver has in Formula 1 compared to other series in the present day, which Bottas may have to face away from the paddock.

“I think it’s very difficult these days. I think with Formula 1 is so popular now, it’s so massive – when a driver is in Formula 1, they are big news, whatever they do or say, and then to move out of Formula 1, there’s such a huge drop off in attention,” Hill explained on the F1 Nation podcast.

More on how the F1 2025 grid is currently shaping up

👉 F1 2025 driver line-up: Who is already confirmed for the 2025 grid?

👉 F1 schedule: When is the next F1 race and where is it being held?

“We’ve seen Sebastian Vettel doing his promotion for green issues and the environment, but he needs F1, if you like, to make that happen. So it is very, very difficult.

“The outside world is very different, and if you’re a racing driver and you’ve still got something to give like Valtteri, then he wants to be driving something.

“I can see him going and doing [something] like a Mark Webber with World Endurance or something like that, rather than just sit around.

“I mean, coming to a race and being a spare part is no fun, really, if you’ve been on the grid.”

While Bottas was known to be a candidate to stay on the grid beyond the end of the year with Sauber, the team opted for youth when deciding a partner for Nico Hulkenberg next season in current Formula 2 championship leader Bortoleto.

With Mattia Binotto at the helm, Hill believes their line-up was formed partially to put youth and experience together, along with having a fresh start ahead of the team’s transition to Audi in 2026.

“From what I’ve heard, I’ve heard quite a few comments along the lines of Mattia has registered the way in which young drivers can jump in and be quite effective quite early on,” Hill explained.

“So he’s looked at the F2 performances, and obviously Gabriel is fantastic, and I think there’s also an element of ‘a new broom sweeps clean’. You know, he’s got to have a fresh look team.

“The carryover sometimes is, perhaps, putting a young driver and an experienced driver together is a good combination.

“So, why he signed up Nico, look, he’s a German driver. I mean, it sort of fits, doesn’t it? Audi, German driver. I can understand that. So anyway, that’s my take on it.”

Read next: Lewis Hamilton’s ‘not acceptable’ verdict amid ‘bad’ run-in to Mercedes exit