Valtteri Bottas
says there are no "burned bridges" with the Mercedes Formula 1 team
over a potential return as Lewis Hamilton's replacement.
Hamilton's shock decision to leave Mercedes has energized the
driver market ahead of 2025, just when it appeared to be stalling as Ferrari and McLaren moved to tie Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris to long-term deals.
Sauber driver
Bottas drove for Mercedes from 2017 to 2021 as Hamilton's team-mate, but the
team decided to replace the Finn with George
Russell from the 2022 season.
Hamilton's
impending move means Mercedes is suddenly in need of a replacement to race
alongside Russell next season, with its options limited by the timing of
Hamilton's decision and those new contracts being issued for desirable drivers
at other teams.
Bottas is
entering what he calls a "contract year" with Sauber, ahead of its
Audi takeover for 2026.
The Finn
stopped short of expressing a stated desire to return to Mercedes given his
opportunity to secure a long-term future as part of what he called the
Sauber/Audi "project", but said there are "as far as I
know, no burned bridges" about a potential return.
"It's no
lie, I was in Barkley the day before actually," Bottas said, referencing
an Instagram story he posted last week before Hamilton's Ferrari move was
announced, which went viral among F1 fans given the location concerned near the
Mercedes base.
"Not at
the Mercedes factory, but I was there doing some other stuff. No, we haven't
spoken on the phone yet with Toto [Wolff, Mercedes team boss].
"And if I
would go back, yeah… Well, obviously, my priority and biggest commitment is the
Audi project, which is my target.
"But if
that wouldn't happen, there's no team that I wouldn't go [to] perhaps. I know
my priorities and I've got my list."
When asked to
give his reaction to the Hamilton/Ferrari news at Sauber's 2024 car launch at
London's historic Guildhall on Monday, the Finn said he was
"surprised" by the development as he "never actually thought
that could happen".
He added:
"But I think it's good for him – it's a big opportunity, it's a big move.
And obviously, he's made the decision himself.
"[I'm]
happy for him and for sure that's now going to escalate some movement in the
market for 2025. So, at the moment, it's quite hard to predict how it's going
to go.
"I never
imagined it would happen. And also the timing of it. But I'm happy for him
because it's good for him.
"I think
it's a great challenge. I'm sure it's a big motivation for him to bring Ferrari
to the top.
"So, it's
kind of cool and it will definitely create some movement for the future, which
is good for the whole sport and for some drivers, for sure."
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