After a three-year stint with Sauber, Formula One driver Valtteri Bottas is making a triumphant return to Mercedes, stepping into the role of reserve driver for the F1 2025 championship. This is a homecoming for the Finn, who previously raced for Mercedes from 2017 to 2021.
Ever since his departure from Mercedes in 2021, Bottas has evolved into a distinct online personality, far removed from the reserved and shy persona he was known for during his initial tenure with the team. With his relationship with Australian cyclist Tiffany Cromwell growing, Bottas has seemingly adopted a slice of Aussie charm, becoming more open and whimsical, often seen in entertaining social media videos.
To commemorate his return to Mercedes, a new social media video was released featuring Bottas joyfully dancing into the Brackley building. He then gestured towards a ‘Kiitos Valtteri’ sticker on a displayed Mercedes car in the reception area. Settling comfortably on a sofa with a coffee in hand, Bottas looked into the camera, letting out a sigh of relief, and uttering, “Traditions” and “I’m home”.
Bottas, who will be ready to step in if either George Russell or Kimi Antonelli is unable to participate in a race weekend, candidly admitted his transfer to Sauber at the end of the 2024 season was a “mistake”. He had joined the Hinwil-based team in 2022 only to see the team’s competitiveness dwindle, especially after team boss Fred Vasseur left to join Ferrari in 2023. Speaking to a group of media, including PlanetF1.com, in Abu Dhabi, Bottas reflected, “It was a mistake. But you can’t predict the future… I just want to make sure that the next move I make is going to be a good one and hopefully there’s better times to come.”
Fears that Bottas’ vibrant personality might be repressed upon his return to Mercedes have been dismissed by the Brackley team. They assure that the Finn is free to express his unique character without any restriction, with one minor exception – he needs to keep his bottom covered.
Bottas gained notoriety for his nude social media posts, particularly showing his bottom, following a popular scene in the Netflix show Drive to Survive, which featured him in a sauna. This led to him releasing a nude calendar of 13 images last year. However, this practice won’t continue this season.
In a media interaction last month, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff clarified, “We are Mercedes, so maybe the nude calendar is not on anymore… but we need to keep him authentic.” The only request Mercedes made of Bottas was to moderate the nudity, respecting the cultural norms and state religion of Islam in Malaysia, considering Mercedes’ title sponsor Petronas is a global corporation owned by the Malaysian government. Bottas readily agreed to this polite request.
However, the team has no objection to Bottas keeping his signature bleached-blonde mullet and burgeoning moustache. Wolff humorously remarked, “If he wants to keep the ugly mullet, then he should.”
