V▨altteri Bottas has been named as an ideal temporary solution to replace Lewis Hamilton.

Mercedes are seeking a new🥃 driver to sit alongside George Russell in 2025 when Hamilton goes to Ferrari🦂.

An⛦d their search could take them to Bottas, who was Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate for five sea🐭sons, it has been claimed.

Max Verstap𝓡pen is their No1 dream optio🥀n but their junior driver, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, is also a very real possibility.

“Toto wants Antonelli at Mercedes long-term,” FIA press conference host Tom Clarkson said on the&nb𒁏sp; podcast.

“It’s just a question of:🍬 is he going to be ready in 2025 or does he get given to another team tღo learn the ropes, then comes back to Mercedes in a few years?”

Mercedes could opt to throw the 17-year-old prodigy into their car imme💫diately.

But, if they decide he needs more time before graduating from Formula 2, then they would need another solution for 202🎃5.

“Mercedes will be looking fo🃏r a one-year stopgap, in my book,” Clarkson said.

“That doesn’t appeal to Carlos Sa♒i𒐪nz who will want a longer-term contract.

“I wonder whet☂her Bottas could be that stopgap for Mercedes in 2025.

“He knows the team very well.ꦍ He has won 10 races.

“It will be a much better option foℱr him than anything else that’s on the contract.

“If Bottas goes to Mercedes, then Sainz’s options b𒆙ecome Red Bull or 🐎Audi.

“I think he will look longer-term and think ‘Audi is a be🌠tter long-term bet than Red Bull because of all the changes and the commitment of Audi, and the questi🧔on marks around Red Bull Powertrains’.”

Bottas knows that he has only a 50-50 chance of retaining his Sauber drive for 2025, because Haas’ Nico Hulkenb⛦erg has already been confirmed.

Either Bottas or Guanyu Zhou𝄹 - and perhaps both - may need to survey their options to stay in Formula 1♑ next season.

Haas now have a vacancy but will reportedly prioritise Ol꧟lie Bearman.