Christian Fittipaldi shares the non-racing role Toto Wolff now wants Valtteri Bottas to do at Mercedes

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Valtteri Bottas future on the grid beyond 2024 was effectively confirmed when Sauber announced Gabriel Bortoleto for next season.

The Finn is unlikely to get a race seat elsewhere now that nearly all of the spaces on the grid are taken up apart from one at Visa CashApp RB, which is expected to be either within the Red Bull driver pool or with Williams star Franco Colapinto.

Bottas has yet to score a point all season for Sauber, which means he did not have the same draw as other prospective drivers in the paddock in a busy driver market this season.

Bortoleto was chosen after Mattia Binotto sided with a younger prospective driver over Bottas according to Damon Hill, with the Finn having not shown his value on track this year.

With him out of a drive, attention has turned to where the Finn will end up next season, with rumours in the paddock suggesting that Bottas could end up in a reserve driver role with Mercedes.

Christian Fittipaldi has shed some light on what he could potentially do alongside team principal Toto Wolff when speaking on the Pelas Pistas podcast.

Valtteri Bottas set for advisor role alongside Toto Wolff

Earlier in the season Mercedes lost two key personnel in light of Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari; head of vehicle dynamics Loic Serra and driver development director Jereme d’Ambrosio.

D’Ambrosio was often seen alongside Wolff in the Mercedes garage advising him on various matters, acting as his right-hand man on race weekends and even standing in when the Austrian was not trackside.

According to Fittipaldi, a similar role could be lined up for Bottas if he decides to rejoin the Silver Arrows where he took 10 race wins and 20 pole positions.

“What they told me at the track is that it looks like he is going back to Mercedes, associating with Toto as a bit of an advisor. He has a history with them and being there at Mercedes would make all the sense in the world, Toto believes a lot in his experience and what he can add to the team,” said Fittipaldi.

“Also remember that Jerome D’Ambrosio left and went to Ferrari so apparently Bottas vacated his place again. I’m not exactly sure it’s a similar function, but I think he’ll end up there.”

Can Valtteri Bottas help Andrea Kimi Antonelli get up to speed?

There is a sense of anticipation around Mercedes for the 2025 season because they plan to pit 18-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli against George Russell.

Antonelli said that his crash during his first outing in the 2024 Mercedes at Monza helped him mentally, and has received a lot of help so far from Hamilton and Russell.

The addition of Bottas will be a valuable asset given his extensive experience in F1 and having worked with Mercedes previously.

Bottas’ feedback might also be key to strategy, with former Sauber strategist Ruth Buscombe Divey recently revealing what the Finn said in their first race debrief.