Could Valtteri Bottas drive for McLaren in 2025?

Valtteri Bottas’ chances of returning to the F1 grid could be boosted thanks to his Mercedes connection.

The 35-year-old Finn has returned to Mercedes as reserve driver after missing out on a full-time race seat for 2025.

Having been replaced at Sauber by Formula 2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg as part of a new driver line-up at the soon-to-be Audi F1 team, Bottas will instead spend the upcoming season on the sidelines.

Bottas will act as a back-up to Mercedes pair George Russell and F1 rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

As well as being on standby for Mercedes, the 10-time grand prix winner could find himself potentially being called into action for two other teams.

McLaren and Williams options for Valtteri Bottas

Mercedes have a long-standing arrangement with customer teams McLaren and Williams which enables them to share Mercedes’ reserve driver if needed.

According to RacingNews365, no formal agreement is in place but both McLaren and Williams will have access to Bottas if required in the event Mercedes do not.

Due to his wealth of F1 experience, Bottas would provide a safe pair of hands in the event that one of McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, or Williams duo Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon, were ruled out.

Williams previously called on a Mercedes reserve driver when Albon was taken ill on the eve of the 2022 Italian Grand Prix with appendicitis.

On that occasion, Mercedes back-up Nyck de Vries was drafted in, scoring points on his F1 debut by finishing ninth at Monza.

Neither McLaren or Williams are yet to officially name a reserve driver for the 2025 season.

Williams have also just lost the services of Franco Colapinto, who has signed to become Alpine’s reserve driver.

With potential openings at three teams, Bottas is statistically the likeliest of the 2025 reserve drivers to be called into action. 

Bottas remains hopeful of securing a full-time return to F1 in 2025.

Cadillac’s planned entry to F1 will open up two additional seats and Bottas has already expressed his interest in the project.

“Well, there’s going to be two more seats,” Bottas told RacingNews365.

“They need drivers, they need experience. So, of course, that’s very, very interesting.

“We have good relations with Graeme [Lowdon, Cadillac’s new team principal]. I don’t think it makes it more difficult for me, if anything, he’s seen what I can do and bring to the team. So I see that as a possibility.”