When the Formula 1 paddock arrived in Melbourne for the start of the 2025 season, the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula 1 Team had a secret weapon. While local legends Oscar Piastri and Jack Doohan received plenty of cheers, the return of Valtteri Bottas (affectionately referred to as ‘VB’) as Third Driver also generated a groundswell of fan support.

Of course, Valtteri's role goes beyond that of a substitute should George Russell or Kimi Antonelli be unavailable. His talent, skill and experience will be vital to the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team’s fight for the driver’s and constructor’s titles.

“His impact and contribution in the five years he was with us previously as our race driver was immense. Along with scoring multiple Grands Prix wins, he played a vital role in five of our championship victories,” says team principal Toto Wolff.

With 10 Grand Prix victories, 20 pole positions and 67 podiums under his belt, Valtteri will be pivotal in helping drive car development. He’ll also act as a mentor to the teenage Kimi in his very first F1 season.

Valtteri knows only too well how it feels to have big shoes to fill, having joined the Silver Arrows in 2017 following Nico Rosberg’s shock retirement. While unexpected, the promotion was the appropriate confirmation of the Finn’s place among the motorsport elite.

Moving at lightning pace

Born on August 28, 1989 in Nastola, Finland, Valtteri began karting at age six.  Throughout his childhood and teenage years, he won multiple races and championships, and was a member of the Finland's National Karting Squad for seven years. 

“There was no one in my family who did motor sports,” Valtteri told The Guardian. “We went to a kart race by accident. We saw a sign and I got really excited about it. We managed to get a used kart and I started to drive a lot. I started to go well immediately. I won some races in my first year. I had the talent and my father gave me lots of support.”

Unlike many of his compatriots, for Valtteri, the transition to cars would not take place until he reached the age of 18, due to the demands of his off-track education (he studied automotive engineering). 

But not a second was wasted in making up for lost time – future (and now current) boss Toto Wolff became involved in the management of the up-and-coming driver, helping Valtteri achieve his dream of following in the footsteps of another Finnish legend, two-time world champion Mika Hakkinen (nicknamed ‘the Flying Finn’).

In only his second season of car racing, victories in both the Eurocup and Northern European Cup were followed by back-to-back victories in the Masters of Formula 3 in 2009 and 2010.

This led him to his first taste of F1 machinery, signing as the test driver for Williams in 2010 and again in 2011. 

A turbocharged F1 era

Valtteri made his F1 race debut at the 2013 Australian Grand Prix, which proved a challenging season for the rookie. However, the experience paid off when the installation of a groundbreaking powertrain from Mercedes-Benz helped Williams deliver some of its strongest results in 2014 and 2015.

Nine podiums and fourth in the 2014 driver’s championship was further evidence of Valtteri’s talent – and scored him the coveted gig aboard the Mercedes F1 W08 for 2017.

For five years, Valtteri was an F1 frontrunner, securing 10 wins, 20 pole positions and 58 podiums for the Silver Arrows. During this time, his mental strength and resilience were key assets.

Following a winless 2018, Valtteri gathered himself and put together his two strongest seasons, helping the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team achieve a level of dominance rarely seen in professional sport. Of the 38 races held over the 2019-2020 seasons, the team won 28 of them. 

Valtteri may not be in a race seat for 2025, but he is well aware of the positive impact he can make on the sport.

“Every year, I always just feel like I learn something new and become a more complete driver. And there's not a single area I can say that I've gone backwards since the beginning. So that's why I think I still have lots of time, and [lots] to give for the sport,” he says.

“Since I was a five-year-old kid growing up in Nastola, Finland, my focus has been on achieving success in the top tier of motorsport. I’ve been fortunate to have enjoyed many incredible moments in my 12 years of racing in F1 so far. 

“As I return to the place where so many of those moments were achieved, I’m looking forward to using all the knowledge I’ve gained to help the team to perform and progress towards our goal of fighting for world championships.”

The team was equally thrilled to have their old team-mate back: “Welcome home, Valtteri! It’s great to have you back,” says Toto. 

‘If you want to win, hire a Finn’ says the old motorsport adage – in which case, Valtteri’s return to the Silver Arrows bodes well for the 2025 season.