Mercedes F1 legend starts campaign to replace Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull

F1 News & Gossip

Mercedes legend starts campaign to replace Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull

Valtteri Bottas is currently without a full-time seat

Originally written by Sam Cook. This version is a translation.

Thursday 5 June 2025 17:00

A long-time Formula 1 star has thrown his hat into the ring to replace Yuki Tsunoda at Red Bull next season.

Valtteri Bottas is back at Mercedes after a run with Sauber, but is filling a role as a reserve driver at the moment as opposed to his previous front-line position.

Bottas is on hand for Mercedes, McLaren and Williams in 2025 - should they need somebody to step into their cars for a race or two - but his ultimate aim is to get himself back onto the F1 grid full-time.

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The incoming new team on the grid may help him to do that, with Cadillac actively looking for at least one driver who has a plethora of F1 experience.

As a 10-time grands prix winner, Bottas certainly fits that bill, but he now seemingly has his eyes set on another prize.

"Obviously Max is doing the job, he’s really pushing almost beyond the limits of the car, and whoever has been alongside him hasn’t looked great. But I don’t know. I just wonder if that car, to be driven fast, needs a driver with experience.

"That’s my speculation, but I think they know that I’m keen to race. They know that I would be available for next year, but I don’t know their mindset on that."

Will Red Bull swap their driver lineup again?

Just two races into the 2025 season, Red Bull made the stunning decision to swap out Lawson for Tsunoda having originally snubbed the Japanese driver for a promotion at the end of 2024.

Tsunoda has not fared much better, however, and sits 15th in the drivers' championship with just 10 points, only seven of which were achieved with Red Bull.

Isack Hadjar, who races with Red Bull's junior team Racing Bulls, is currently sat on 21 points, more than Tsunoda and Lawson combined despite not having raced for the main team at any point in the season.

The Red Bull car has clearly been difficult to drive for at least the last 12 months or so, with even six-time race winner Sergio Perez putting in some dismal performances at the back end of 2024.

It appears to be only Max Verstappen who can extract performance from the current RB21, although even he is sat 49 points behind world championship leader Oscar Piastri after nine rounds of the season.

Red Bull Mercedes Yuki Tsunoda Cadillac Valtteri Bottas