Valtteri Bottas' Open Letter to fans

      In 2025, Valtteri Bottas returned to the Mercedes team, signing a contract as a reserve driver. Finn wrote an open letter to the fans, in which he talked about his first days at the base and about the tasks for the upcoming season.

      What did Michael Jordan say when he returned to professional basketball in the mid-1990s?

      "I'm back."

      Last year, I asked the question, "What's next?" And I couldn't be happier than I am now, when it became clear that the answer is Mercedes. Of course, as a driver, you want to be among the twenty who will start 24 times this year, but I understood that a contract with this team is the best option for me in 2025.

      I feel like I've returned home. I think I just left yesterday, and returning to Brackley base last week was a pleasant moment. As I walked through the base, people stopped to talk to me. It was a pleasure. I'm getting used to this neighborhood again. Two days after arriving in the UK, I was eating curry and having dinner at the pub!

      It's nice to see so many familiar faces that I've worked with in the past. As soon as I sat down to write this letter, my old racing engineer Ricci looked in the door and suggested that we go out for lunch. Gluten-free Fish and Chips with a good friend on a Friday afternoon? I like.

      So, what will I be doing this season? Let me explain. As the third driver, I will come to every race and participate in all the activities on and off the track that are somehow related to the speed of the car. It doesn't matter if it's about settings or piloting, but I will try to use all my experience to contribute to the work of this wonderful team.

      I will study telemetry, monitor the video from the cameras on the cars of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, becoming an additional pair of eyes for them. I hope I will also have the opportunity to get behind the wheel and participate in the tests.

      At the base, I will work a lot on the simulator, developing W16. I am gradually getting involved in the work, getting to know the new car and studying the plans for the season. On Valentine's Day, I was undergoing a seat fitting. It was love at second sight! It turned out that my old seat from 2021 fit perfectly.

      Keep a close eye on our two drivers as the season progresses – it will be interesting. George is no longer a novice, he has several years under his belt, and he has already shown that he can win races and fight for titles. He has an important year ahead of him, and he will try to take every opportunity.

      As for Kimi, he faces a steep learning curve. He is very young, but he has already demonstrated his talent and dedication. He worked very hard during the pre-season training.

      I'm sure he'll have a few questions for me over the course of the year, but I'm here to answer them. Besides, he will learn a lot from George. I'm interested to see his growth and development over the course of the season.

      I hope our team will be able to fight in the front ranks. If it works, it will be largely due to the work of our staff at the base. They are professionals with the right work ethic and mentality. They're determined to win, and it's great to be surrounded by these people again. I missed you.

      I have to go now, because the Fish and Chips won't be waiting. There are a busy few weeks ahead before the start of the season. I look forward to seeing all of you on the track in the near future.

      We'll talk soon,

      Valtteri (King of Tigers)