Ever since Alfa Romeo announced its departure, the industry and fans have been speculating whether Valtteri Bottas will return to Mercedes. He will, but not in the way we thought!
If former F1 driver and current insider Christian Fittipaldi's information is correct, Bottas could return as Toto Wolff's right-hand man, in a sort of mentoring position. The right-hand man analogy is not an exaggeration, as Fittipaldi has learned that Bottas will succeed Jerome d'Ambrosio, who is leaving for Ferrari.
The fact that d'Ambrosio is considered a serious contender for the Mercedes team principal position after Wolff's retirement is a good indication of how big a leap this is for the Finn. He has also led Mercedes as a deputy several times. If the news is true, the recent signing of Andrea Kimi Antonelli could also be great news for him, who has a great relationship with the Finnish driver, and there is no better person to help the newcomer settle in than Valtteri Bottas.
