With an opportunity emerging at Mercedes, is Valtteri Bottas considering a return to the team he departed from after the 2021 season?
Mercedes finds itself with a vacant driver’s seat for the 2025 campaign, following the recent announcement of Lewis Hamilton’s departure after over a decade with the team.
The seven-time World Champion will bid farewell to Brackley and join Ferrari next season, leaving Mercedes in search of a suitable replacement to partner with George Russell.
Among the names circulating as potential candidates for the vacant seat is Valtteri Bottas. The Finn previously raced for Mercedes from 2017 to 2021, serving as a dependable support to Hamilton during his championship campaigns and contributing significantly to the team’s successes.
However, Bottas opted to leave Mercedes after the 2021 season when he was offered a long-term contract to drive for Alfa Romeo/Sauber, now known as Stake F1.
When questioned about the possibility of reuniting with Mercedes for the 2025 season, Bottas responded with a laugh, saying, “No, actually! I think he’s been busy. Nothing so far!” referring to Toto Wolff, the team principal of Mercedes.
Bottas’s current contract with Sauber is set to expire at the end of 2024, necessitating negotiations for the following season. These discussions are likely to involve Audi, as Bottas is unlikely to accept a short-term deal that would bridge the gap until Audi enters into Formula 1 in 2026.
Considering the importance of longevity in his contract negotiations, Bottas expressed willingness to engage in discussions with Mercedes if a long-term arrangement were to be proposed.
He stated, when directly questioned about his interest in returning to Mercedes; “Only if it was a lot more than a one-year contract. If it was a one-year deal, then it wouldn’t make sense for me. But, for long-term, of course there could be a discussion.”
Since departing from Mercedes, Bottas has embraced a newfound sense of liberation, demonstrating a growing confidence in expressing his personality more openly than before.
In this pursuit, Bottas has garnered attention not only for his on-track prowess but also for his penchant for nudity, frequently baring his backside for calendars, and sporting a distinctive bleached blonde mullet.
Furthermore, he has embraced a playful approach to social media, sharing posts that are both bewildering and humorous.
Bottas remarked that he now feels empowered to act according to his preferences, to a certain extent, stating, “I feel like that was a bit of the case,” in response to whether he previously felt compelled to suppress certain aspects of his personality.
“But also like some projects or businesses that I’ve jumped into, I wasn’t allowed to do before. An example is the gin brand of me and my girlfriend [Tiffany Cromwell], I wasn’t allowed to do anything involving alcohol with a previous team. Stuff like that also just gives me some opportunities like that.”
What might have occurred if he had arrived at Mercedes sporting such a striking combination of hairstyle and mustache?
“It would not have happened five years ago!” he giggled.
“Yeah, it’s hard to say. Five years is a long time and things can change. I actually didn’t even stress about it when it was launched, like what people think or if there’s going to be negative things.
“You can’t really say anything negative when it’s for charity, and stuff like that. But I would not have had the balls to do it five years ago.”
However, where does that confidence originate? Has Bottas simply matured into himself in his thirties, as is common for many individuals, or has Formula 1 provided him with the platform to discover and nurture his self-assurance?
He stated; “Formula 1 helps, it’s a sport that you learn so much about yourself. You always have ups and downs, you definitely learn a lot about life.
“I’ve been, in the past, with a big brand and you could say more corporate. It’s hard to judge but if I have to change certain things here and there for a chance of fighting for the world championship, then it’s no problem.”
However, although Bottas is open to adapting certain aspects to align with a team’s preferences, he emphasized that he wouldn’t appreciate being restricted in expressing himself, including his hairstyle.
“I wouldn’t like that,” he remarked when queried about whether he would adhere to the strict grooming policies enforced by former McLaren team principal Ron Dennis, who mandated specific hair lengths and precise facial hair regulations for his drivers.
“I think those days are gone now. I think it’s a different world nowadays, thank god!”
