Valtteri Bottas h꧃as been named as an ideal temporary solution to replace Lewis Hamilton.

Mercedes are seeking a new driver to sit alon𝓰gside George Russell in 2025🌱 when Hamilton goes to Ferrari.

And their search could take them to Bottas, who was Hamilton’sꦍ Mercedes teamm🥀ate for five seasons, it has been claimed.

Max Verstappen is their No1 dr♋eam option but their junior driver, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, is also a very real possibility.

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

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

Mercꦜedes could opt to throw the 17-year-💜old prodigy into their car immediately.

But, if the💎y decide he needs more time before graduating from Formula 2, then they would need another solution for 2025.

“Mercedes will be looking ꧅for a one-year stopgap, in my book,” Clarkson said.

“That doesn’t appe෴al to Carlos Sainz who will want a🌳 longer-term contract.

“I wonder whether Bottas could be tha♛t stopgap for🐼 Mercedes in 2025.

“He knows the team very well. He has won 10 𝔉races.

“It will be a much better option for him tha꧒n anything else that’s on the contract.

“If B🍸ottas goes to Mercedes, then Sainz’s options become Red Bull or Audi.

“I think he will look longer-term and think ‘Audi is a better long-term bet than Red Bull because of 🃏all the changes and the commitment of Audi, and the question marks around Red Bull Power🧸trains’.”

Bottas knows that he has only a 50-50 chance of retaining his Sau♔ber drive for 2025, because Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg has already been confirmed.

Either Bottas o♛r Guanꦐyu 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 Ollie Be💟arman.