09/08/2025 12:00
Toto Wolff has voiced his support for Valtteri Bottas to return to
an F1 race seat, sharing his hope that a "door is going to open"
for him. The Finnish driver, whom the Mercedes team principal
labelled his "fish poisoning" back-up, is spending the current
season in a reserve and third driver role for the eight-time
constructors' champions. Wolff highlighted how the 35-year-old is
blessed with talent enough to step into the W16 on short notice and
be "absolutely on pace" if something, like food poisoning, were to
befall regular drivers George Russell or Kimi Antonelli. "Valtteri
has been part of the Mercedes family for a long, long time," the
Austrian said on the Mercedes mid-season review. "He is a driver
that, if some of our guys would have fish poisoning, you put him in
the car, he's going to be absolutely on pace, and that's great to
know that your reserve and third driver is as quick as it gets."
Bottas raced for Stake last season, but Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel
Bortoleto were preferred to the 10-time grand prix winner and
then-team-mate Zhou Guanyu, leaving both without a seat for 2025.
Having started his F1 career with Williams in 2013, Bottas replaced
Nico Rosberg at Mercedes when the German retired at the end of
2016. He spent five seasons alongside Lewis Hamilton before moving
to Alfa Romeo-Sauber for 2022, and although consigned to a year on
the sidelines, he is garnering significant interest. In recent
months, Bottas has been heavily linked to both Alpine and the
fledgling Cadillac outfit, which embarks on his debut F1 season
next term. He is broadly expected to secure a seat in either team,
and Wolff believes it is now a case of wait and see over his next
move. "But obviously, with Valtteri, he deserves a race seat, and
hopefully that door is going to open," the 53-year-old said. "And
just watch this space."
