A ditched F1 driver set to sign new deal for Mercedes role

Mercedes are set to take advantage of an experienced Formula 1 driver losing their race seat.

Valtteri Bottas has been axed from his Sauber drive next season and has nowhere else to go to keep his racing career alive.

A reunion with former team Mercedes in a reserve driver role is on the cards.

“Nothing is signed, nothing is done,” Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said to Viaplay in Las Vegas.

“But if we were to have him back in the family, we would be all full of joy.

“What you can say is that if you have the opportunity of having a pilot like Valtteri back in the Mercedes family, with his ability, with his most recent experience of these modern cars, you can deem yourself super lucky.”

Wolff was asked about the likelihood of agreeing a contract to bring Bottas back.

“It's a matter of time,” he admitted.

Bottas and Sauber teammate Guanyu Zhou have not scored a point all season as they struggle with the worst car in Formula 1.

At the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, Zhou was 13th and Bottas 18th.

Sauber will evolve into Audi in 2026 and, with an eye on the future, will field a new-look driver combo next season.

They have signed Nico Hulkenberg from Haas and Formula 2 driver Gabriel Bortoleto from McLaren.

Bottas and Zhou have nowhere to turn, as a result, but Mercedes can offer their former driver a chance to keep a foot in the door.

Similarly, Mercedes snapped up Mick Schumacher as a reserve driver when he lost his F1 race seat.

Bottas will return to a renewed Mercedes in 2025 where former teammate Lewis Hamilton will no longer be present. Hamilton will go to Ferrari leaving George Russell and Kimi Antonelli as Mercedes’ drivers.

Bottas won 10 grands prix with Mercedes.