Valtteri Bottas says he is nearing an agreement to return to Mercedes as its reserve driver next year after Mick Schumacher, son of seven-time champion Michael Schumacher, announced he was leaving.

Valtteri Bottas confirmed on Thursday that he is poised to return to Mercedes next season as a reserve driver in the wake of Mick Schumacher's decision to leave the team at the end of the year. Schumacher,

Valtteri Bottas will compete at next year’s Race of Champions as he eyes new racing opportunities after missing out on an F1 seat for next year. Bottas, who has been an ever-present on the F1 grid since 2013, has been dropped by Sauber for 2025 with Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto replacing the Finn and Zhou Guanyu.

Mercedes reserve Mick Schumacher will leave the Formula One team at the end of the season while Valtteri Bottas looks set to replace the German after deciding against making a full-time switch to IndyCar in 2025.

Valtteri Bottas said there is “still a bit of work to do” in regards to a Mercedes contract as he moves closer to a reserved driver role. The announcement that Mick Schumacher would be leaving the team at the end of the season opened the door for Bottas to return to his former team but a deal is not signed just yet.