Toto Wolff issues verdict on mid-season exit for Mercedes star

F1 team principal Toto Wolff has issued a verdict over whether a Mercedes driver will leave the team before the end of 2025.

Wolff confirmed in Zandvoort that he intends to re-sign George Russell and Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes for 2026; but Wolff will have to part ways with his third driver at the end of 2025.

Mercedes’ reserve driver Valtteri Bottas was confirmed as part of Cadillac’s driver lineup for 2026, alongside Sergio Perez who was axed from Red Bull last year.

However, Bottas will still serve as Mercedes’ third driver throughout the remainder of the 2025 season, with Wolff questioned in Zandvoort over whether he will be allowed to make a start with Cadillac.

"As I said before, maybe sometimes I’m being a bit naive, but I want to do the best from a racing standpoint - the best for Valtteri whilst not compromising the Mercedes status quo," Wolff said during Friday’s press conference at Zandvoort.

"So, I think it’s pretty easy. Valtteri continues to be our reserve and third driver until the end of the season, and he’s giving it all. I’ve zero doubt that he’s going to do it with the utmost integrity.

"At the same time, I have no problem that he’s starting his job in Cadillac. It makes it easier that the regulations are totally different for next year. I’m happy. It was no problem for us to release Valtteri for the announcement and events that Cadillac did in order to present the drivers, and it will continue so during the year.

"I think Graeme and Dan, with support from GM, this is a very strong and ambitious project - good for Formula 1 - and that’s why we want to do the utmost for them to showcase what they will be doing. And therefore, if we need to give Valtteri as a driver for events or for these purposes, no problem."

Bottas to part ways with Mercedes for Cadillac

Cadillac has a monumental task ahead of them in 2026, with the new team having to get up to speed with the rest of the grid who have decades worth of experience in F1.

Both Bottas and Perez have signed for Cadillac with the mentality that they are there to help the team progress, not to cover themselves in individual glory, and they are aiming to move the team forward.

When asked if Bottas would be involved in a test program at Cadillac in the second half of the year, Wolff responded: "I haven’t heard of any test programme so far because they haven’t got a car.

"As it stands, we will always be supportive of Valtteri because those cars are so different next year."

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