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 previously 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 mentor position. The right-hand analogy is not exaggerated at all, as Fittipaldi's sources suggest that Bottas will inherit the position left by Jerome d’Ambrosio, who is moving to Ferrari.
The significance of this leap for the Finn is well illustrated by the fact that d’Ambrosio was considered a serious contender for the Mercedes team principal position after Wolff's retirement. As a substitute, he has also led Mercedes several times. If the news is true, it could be great news for the recent signing Andrea Kimi Antonelli as well, who has a good relationship with the Finnish driver, and there couldn't be a better person for Valtteri Bottas to help the rookie's integration.
