WATCH: Valtteri Bottas completes Mercedes 2021 F1 seat fit

Valtteri Bottas has returned to Mercedes’ Formula 1 factory to complete a seat fit ahead of the 2021 season.

In a video released by Mercedes on its YouTube channel, the reigning world champions have provided exclusive access to fans to show what goes on behind the scenes at its factory in Brackley. 

The seat fit appeared to go smoothly with Bottas telling his engineers: “it feels like home” as he returned to a Formula 1 cockpit for the first time since December. 

Mercedes will launch its 2021 F1 car - the W12 - on March 2.

2021 will be the Finn’s fifth season with Mercedes as he looks to finally mount a credible title charge against seven-time world champion teammate Lewis Hamilton.

Bottas started 2019 and 2020 with wins in the season-opening rounds in Australia and Austria but quickly fell away as he was unable to match the sheer pace and race consistency of Hamilton. 

This coming campaign looks set to be the most important for Bottas with Mercedes junior George Russell waiting in the wings to replace him should the team opt to break up the pairing which has seen it win four consecutive drivers’ and constructors’ championships. 

With Bottas, Hamilton and Russell all out of contract at the end of the season, the rumour mill will not be coming to a halt anytime soon.

Bottas' first real opportunity to drive the W12 will be in Bahrain for pre-season testing which gets underway on March 12.

The 2021 season kicks off in Bahrain on March 28.