Bottas makes Formula 1 comeback for Mercedes in 'fastest F1 car ever'

The W11 has often been praised as the fastest and best F1 car in history, and achieving 13 wins and 15 pole positions that season with Lewis Hamilton and Bottas at the wheel, there's very little reason to argue with that - albeit the RB19 doesn't look too bad either. The W11 also bears the honor of being the car that took Lewis Hamilton to his seventh and - for now - final title.

Bottas' test at Paul Ricard was not a TPC (Testing of Previous Cars), but rather a THC (Testing of Historic Cars), which comprehend any mileage driven in a car that's 4 or more seasons' old.

The Finnish driver shared some footage of his test at the French track on his social media channels.

After negotiations with Sauer fell through, Bottass had no choice but to find a reserve driver role at his old team, Mercedes. Whilst he does attend all the races, he is currently not actively racing in any series, something essential for an active racing driver.

Earlier this year, he tested for McLaren in their MCL60 from 2023, a test that was intended as preparation for a possible substitution. Mercedes and McLaren have been sharing reserve drivers for some time, as Mick Schumacher was also available for both teams prior to the Finn.