Valtteri Bottas of Finland and Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber talks to the media in the Paddock- Source: Getty
Former Kick Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas claimed that his new role as Mercedes reserve driver for the 2025 season could be "difficult" and "painful" for him. The Finnish driver joined the Hinwil-based outfit at the beginning of the 2022 season after leaving the German team at the end of the 2021 season.
Bottas had a strong start to his time with the Swiss team, which would become Audi in 2026, as he guided them to P6 in the Constructor's Championship. However, the performance fell back in the two subsequent years as the team finished in P9 and P10 in 2024, with Bottas failing to score a point in the recently concluded season.
In an exclusive interview with RacingNews365, Bottas spoke about his upcoming move to Mercedes and believed that it could be difficult for him to stand in the background given that he wanted to race, saying:
