See him around we will, with Bottas set to travel extensively to races with Mercedes next season. It’s all too easy to get forgotten once you leave the paddock, so Bottas’ presence will help keep him in the conversation for the racing return he craves in 2026.
He’ll also be returning to a team that love him – and with whom he had an incredible relationship. That warm, welcoming atmosphere will do wonders for his mindset and confidence after the rejection of this season – while also allowing him to feel useful by using his extensive experience (he’s started 246 Grands Prix) to help get the team back to the sharp end – having fallen back to P4.
“I just want to feel the success again, I want to feel the rewards of hard work,” he said. “We worked hard for three years but there haven’t been that many rewards.
“I feel like I’m driving as well as ever, I’m as fit as ever – which is why I’m not done yet. In terms of fitness, I’m at my peak. I don’t feel any degradation in the car in any sense. So, with the right atmosphere and the right machinery, I still believe I can do great things.”
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Bottas is convinced he has something to offer a team in a racing capacity going forward – and with two extra seats potentially available in 2026 with Cadillac/GM having recently reached an agreement in principle to become the 11th F1 team from next year, the Finn is optimistic we’ll see him back behind the wheel in anger.
“I think there will be opportunities,” he said. “Next year, who knows what happens, but realistically looking at 2026, which needs to be my target, things are still wide open and we have an 11th team joining the sport, which is really exciting.”
