Mercedes driver 'safety net' for Hamilton replacement emerges

A former Formula 1 star has suggested that the full-time return of Valtteri Bottas could be on the cards, if Kimi Antonelli doesn't perform at Mercedes.

The 18-year-old has recently been promoted into a full-time position on the F1 grid following Lewis Hamilton's decision to ditch Mercedes for Ferrari.

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While Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff scouted around for a driver to replace Hamilton, even suggesting at one point that Red Bull's Max Verstappen was his number one target, the team eventually decided to take a chance on Antonelli.

It means that the highly-exciting driver pairing of George Russell and Antonelli will head into the 2025 season, as Mercedes seek to get themselves back into world championship contention.

Bottas to replace Antonelli at Mercedes?

During the winter break, however, it was also revealed that Mercedes have made another driver signing.

Following the departure of Mick Schumacher, the Brackley outfit have revealed that Bottas will return in a reserve driver capacity having departed the team back in 2021.

Bottas secured 10 grand prix victories with Mercedes between 2017-2021, helping them to five consecutive constructors' championship titles in that time.

Now, former Williams racer Juan Pablo Montoya has suggested that Bottas has been brought in as a 'safety net', in case Antonelli does not perform. Bottas would be a suitable short term replacement, being an experienced racer who raced a full season in F1 as recently as 2024.

"Kimi Antonelli is on the other side of the coin, in the spotlight in one of the best teams out there with a team-mate who is doing a mega job," Montoya said to CasasDeAspuestas.bet. "And you’re being sold as the next Max Verstappen. If he doesn’t deliver, that's tough."

"My reading is that with Bottas, Mercedes would be covering their arse. He’s a safety net to have somebody in case it doesn’t work with Antonelli and he knows that."

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