- Bottas drove for Mercedes from 2017 to 2021
- He announced in September 2021 that he would leave Mercedes and headed to Alfa Romeo
- His contracts runs out at the end of 2021
Following Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari in 2025, F1 fans are asking, will Valtteri Bottas return to Mercedes?
Bottas drove for Mercedes from 2017 to 2021 before moving on with another Formula One team. He was with Williams from 2013 to 2016 before joining Mercedes.
He announced in September 2021 that he would leave Mercedes. He circumstancially chose to leave the Silver Arrows for Alfa Romeo hoping to further his F1 racing career.
Will Valtteri Bottas Return to Mercedes?
Three years after his exit, his fans are wondering will Valtteri Bottas return to Mercedes? Besides Hamilton exiting the team for Scuderia Ferrari, Bottas’ exit in 2021 had a level of bitterness.
He admitted that Mercedes would still have pushed him out at the end of the 2021 season in favour of George Russell. He performed well at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix where he represented Hamilton who did not participate in the race after having a flat tyre.
Valtteri Bottas. Photo/AP Photo/Luca Bruno
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was compelled to take note of his grandeur performance but did not initiate talks about a contract extension.
Following a lack of communication with Mercedes, Bottas and his management team started talks with Williams and Alfa Romeo. He then got notified by Mercedes that he no longer be needed by the team and this is when he chose Alfa Romeo. His contract with the Sauber team ends in 2024.
So, will Valtteri Bottas return to Mercedes? Perhaps. He recently told Planet F1 in an exclusive interview that he would be open to this possibility by Wolff is yet to engage him. Nevertheless, his return to Mercedes is conditional given his experience with the team.
According to the Finn, he would consider rejoining his old team if it offered a longer contract of more than a year.
“Only if it was a lot more than a one-year contract,” he told Planet F1. 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.”
Is Valtteri Bottas Happy Since Leaving Mercedes?
Following his departure from Mercedes, Bottas has become more of a free spirit and feels more comfortable showcasing his individuality than he did in the past.
As a result, he has gained almost as much notoriety for always appearing in the nude, flashing his ass for calendars, and sporting a now-fading blonde mullet.
In addition, Bottas admitted that he occasionally finds amusing content on social media and that he now, to a certain extent, has the courage to pursue his interests.
Alfa Romeo driver Valtteri Bottas. Photo AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
“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.”
Looking back to his time in Mercedes, he wasn’t as outspoken as he is right now and he now understands why. Bottas states that his last years with F1 hardened him and also gave him a fresh streak of confidence which he lacked before.
Racing for Alfa Romeo for the last three seasons made him discover more about himself. Sauber is more free-spirited compared to Mercedes which is ‘conservative’ in some way as a means to protect its big corporate brand.
“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,” he explained.
Although Bottas is prepared to adjust certain elements to comply with team directives, he made it clear that he would like not to have to hide any aspect of his identity, including his hair.
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