The Formula One circuit has come to a halt for this year, but there is still a lot happening behind the scenes. Mercedes announced the return of Valtteri Bottas as a reserve driver, while Red Bull tapped Liam Lawson to replace the departing Sergio Perez.
Bottas raced for Mercedes between 2017 and 2021, finishing second on the Driver Standings on two occasions and amassing 10 wins and 58 podium finishes. He spent the past three seasons with Alfa Romeo/Sauber.
“Returning home to the Mercedes family as third driver for 2025 is what’s next, and I couldn’t be more pleased,” Bottas said in a statement. “I want to thank Toto (Wolff), the team at Brackley, and everyone at the three-pointed star for welcoming me back with open arms.“
Lawson, on the other hand, gets a full-time shot at Formula One after making sporadical appearances on the grid in the past two seasons. He has 11 F1 races and six points on his resume.
“It’s been an incredible journey so far,” Lawson said. “I want to say a massive thank you to the whole team at RB for their support, the last six races have played a huge part in my preparation for this next step.”
Bottas finished the 2024 season without winning a single point, which ultimately led to him being out of a F1 seat. Reserve driver role with Mercedes allows him to remain in form while waiting another opportunity.
In Lawson, Red Bull gets a promising young talent that they believe can become a world-class driver. The team previously parted ways with Perez one year before his contract was set to expire due to his disappointing 2024 campaign.
