Valtteri Bottas makes F1 return with McLaren

Valtteri Bottas has returned to F1 driving duties for the first time since losing his full-time race seat with Stake.

The Finnish driver fell off the grid after the 2024 season after Stake elected to sign F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto to partner Nico Hulkenberg, but returned to Mercedes as a reserve driver to George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.

Bottas has been present on-site for the first two grands prix of the season in Australia and China, and is also in the pool for any Mercedes customer team to call upon his services as a reserve driver if injury or illness affects a regular race driver.

As such, Bottas is conducting a familiarisation test under TPC (Testing of Previous Cars) in Barcelona for McLaren - one such Mercedes customer, a Mercedes spokesperson confirmed to RacingNews365.

Bottas is driving the 2023 MCL60 machine to get used to McLaren's systems and procedures should the need arise for him to replace either Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri. 

McLaren's reserve driver in 2024 was IndyCar star Pato O'Ward, but his commitment is in IndyCar should there be a clash and need for a reserve to step in would rule him out of a number of grands prix. 

Williams could also call upon Bottas if required as another Mercedes customer, whilst the fourth team, Aston Martin, has its own reserves, with Felipe Drugovich first in line to replace either Fernando Alonso or Lance Stroll. 

It is understood that plans for Bottas to test an eligible Mercedes at some point this year are still being worked on, although nothing concrete has been decided.