Valtteri Bottas in talks over Mercedes return as Toto Wolff gets four-word message | F1 | Sport

Valtteri Bottas has revealed that he has had conversations with Mercedes about a sensational return to the team in 2025, telling Toto Wolff ‘I would consider it’ when asked about his potential whereabouts for next year.

Bottas spent five years with the Silver Arrows before moving on to join Sauber in 2022, but since leaving the Brackley-based team his fortunes have taken a turn for the worse, despite putting in consistently strong performances.

The 10-time Grand Prix winner is now in a precarious position. He is fighting for a short-term extension with the team rooted to the bottom of the Constructors’ Championship standings.

Even then, Bottas is far from guaranteed a spot on the 2025 grid. According to reports, Sauber chief Mattia Binotto is in talks with Franco Colapinto and Gabriel Bortoleto as he weighs up his options for next season.

Speaking to F1.com about his future plans, Bottas revealed: “Firstly, the priority is to stay as a race driver. That’s what I want and that’s what we’re pushing for with Mattia.

“But of course, as I don’t have anything signed and we are in October I’ve got to look at all the alternatives, including going back to the Mercedes family.

“That’s for sure one option, and I would consider it. But there’s other options as well. Going back to my priority… it’s to be a race driver in Formula One.”

If Bottas is to return to Mercedes it will have to be in a test and reserve driver capacity, as Wolff has already lined up Kimi Antonelli and George Russell to form the team’s 2025 driver pairing. It would also leave Mick Schumacher’s future in question, with the German racer currently the team’s backup.

Full-time seats on the 2025 grid are hard to come by, so if Bottas is overlooked by Binotto, he could wind up racing in IndyCar. The 35-year-old would be following in the footsteps of Marcus Ericsson and Roman Grosjean in swapping F1 for America’s premium open-wheel series.