George Russell has said his “relationship has grown” with Valtteri Bottas, as the Finn makes his return to Mercedes as reserve driver in 2025.

Bottas has signed for Mercedes to be back-up to Russell and Kimi Antonelli next season, after his departure from Sauber, but he still holds onto ambitions of returning to the grid in the 2026 campaign.

George Russell: ‘Relationship has grown’ with Valtteri Bottas

A flashpoint of the 2021 season saw Russell and Bottas collide with each other at high speed at a wet Imola, with Russell, then a Williams driver, exchanging words with the then-Mercedes driver before walking away.

He hinted at that point that the two were in competition for a seat alongside Lewis Hamilton in 2022 after the race, while the two were pointing the finger of blame at one another, with Russell saying: “Perhaps if it was another driver, he wouldn’t have done that.”

Russell later issued a fulsome apology for his part in the incident, with the Mercedes junior eventually promoted to the team as Bottas joined Sauber, then branded Alfa Romeo, on a multi-year deal.

The Briton acknowledged the pair were “perceived to not have a strong relationship” in times gone by, but with Bottas rejoining the Mercedes fold as reserve driver, Russell is ready to work with the Finn as he brings his in-house knowledge back to Mercedes, alongside having driven rival machinery.

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“His experience is going to be massive,” Russell said.

“Having someone with so much simulator and racing knowledge, and who fully knows the team is going to be great.

“Hearing about his last few years at Sauber, with the Ferrari engine could be key too. You always have to keep an open mind as to what others are doing and he has all of that under his belt.

“Obviously years ago we were perceived to not have a strong relationship, but we are both professionals and our relationship has grown, we often travel together and see each other at hotels or in the gym.”

Bottas embraced a different side of his personality after moving to Sauber, growing his hair into a mullet and adding facial hair to the mix, and when asked about what influence the pair could have on each other’s hairstyles, Russell replied: “Maybe he could give me some of his at the back, and I can give him some of my hair from the side – I think we would be able to make something pretty extraordinary from the two!”

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