Ever since Alfa Romeo went its separate ways, pundits and fans have been speculating whether Valtteri Bottas will return to Mercedes. He will, but not in the way we thought!
If former F1 driver and current insider Christian Fittipaldi's information is correct, then Bottas could return as Toto Wolff's right-hand man, in a mentoring position. The analogy with a right-hand man is not at all exaggerated, as, according to Fittipaldi's information, Bottas will take over from Jerome d'Ambrosio, who has moved to Ferrari.
How big a leap this is for the Finn is well illustrated by the fact that d'Ambrosio was considered a serious candidate for the Mercedes team leadership position after Wolff's retirement. As a replacement, he drove for Mercedes several times. If the news is true, this could also be excellent news for new hire Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who has an excellent relationship with the Finn, and for Valtteri Bottas, there is no better person to help the newcomer integrate.
