Wolff fully backs F1 'fish poisoning savior' wild card to nab 2026 seat

Toto Wolff has praised Valtteri Bottas’ value to Mercedes while hinting that a race seat could soon return for the Finn.

Wolff praises Bottas in 'as quick as it gets' compliment

“Valtteri has been part of the Mercedes family for a long, long time,” Wolff said in Mercedes’ mid-season review.

“He is a driver that, if some of our guys would have fish poisoning, you put him in the car, he’s going to be absolutely on pace. That’s great to know that your reserve and third driver is as quick as it gets.”

Bottas was discarded by Sauber along with now Ferrari reserve Guanyu Zhou, with the Swiss team going instead with podium scorer Nico Hülkenberg and F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto for 2025.

The 10-time Grand Prix winner took up the mantle at the German racing team\ when former F1 champion Nico Rosberg left Mercedes after his first and only F1 title at the end of 2016.

Bottas partnered Lewis Hamilton for five seasons, then moved to Alfa Romeo-Sauber in 2022. Although sidelined for 2025, his future now appears set. GPblog understands that Bottas and Cadillac have reached an agreement for 2026.

“But obviously, with Valtteri, he deserves a race seat, and hopefully that door is going to open,” Wolff concluded.

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