"Not what I want!"

Bottas says no to Formula 1 comeback with Mercedes

You would think that everyone would be happy to be able to compete for victories and world championship points in Formula 1 with a (now once again) competitive car - but that is obviously a fallacy! Valtteri Bottas, who is currently in his 3rd season at Sauber, has definitely ruled out a switch to Mercedes as a "stopgap" from his side ...

"Filling a seat for just one year is, I don't think, what I want or need at the moment," he explained recently in an interview with Mirror Sports. As friendly as the Finn may be with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, Bottas has not forgotten that he was only ever given one-year contracts during his five-year stint with the Silver Arrows.

"I need a good challenge and a clear plan!"
After his probable departure from the Sauber racing team, which is currently undergoing a transformation to become the Audi works team, he definitely wants to sign a multi-year contract. "I need a good challenge and a clear plan."

Valtteri Bottas(Bild: APA/AFP/GREG BAKER)

"Stopgap" not an alternative for Bottas
A role as a "stopgap" at Mercedes, where he could possibly keep Max Verstappen or Andrea Kimi Antonelli "temporarily parked" with a customer team to gain experience for a transitional year, would therefore not be an alternative for Bottas. Of course, Bottas' thoughts are always a little virtual - because Bottas' commitment to Mercedes has not been widely discussed so far ...