Valtteri Bottas has made his mind up on Mercedes return with Toto Wolff in talks

Valtteri Bottas has revealed he's had extensive discussions with Toto Wolff, but dismissed the idea of a return to his former Mercedes team.

Bottas is among several high-profile Formula 1 drivers facing an uncertain future. His current contract with Sauber concludes this year, and Audi, set to fully acquire the team from 2026, are exploring other options for their driver line-up.

This suggests that the Finnish driver may need to find a new team if he wishes to remain on the grid next year. Like many of his peers, he has been in talks with various teams across the paddock and benefits from having prior relationships with two teams yet to finalise their rosters.

One such team is Mercedes, who are seeking a new teammate for George Russell following Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari. The current favourite is Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the young Italian prodigy who has been propelled into Formula 2 this year due to his impressive winning streak in lower tiers.

It's yet to be determined whether they will promote him directly to the Mercedes team or assign him to a customer team for a year to gain more experience. If they opt for the latter, they'll require a driver to fill the gap for 12 months, possibly longer, until the 17 year old is deemed ready, reports the Mirror.

Bottas, who has previously won 10 races for the Silver Arrows during a five-year stint, would be an ideal candidate. However, he revealed that such a scenario doesn't appeal to him.

"Filling a place for one year, I don't think that is what I want or need at the moment," he stated at a Zero Petroleum event.

"For next year, I want something multi-year with a clear plan for the years ahead and work together for that time. I think that's what I need, a good challenge and a clear plan. If I just do one year, then you're back to square one again and looking at what's next. I'm good friends with Toto so, of course, we've talked about everything."

Instead, Bottas appears to be the favourite to re-sign with another of his former teams, Williams. Carlos Sainz was on the brink of signing to race alongside Alex Albon, but his repeated delays over a decision seem to have alienated James Vowles, who worked closely with Bottas during his time at Mercedes.

It's understandable that he wants more security, having spoken in the past about how much better he felt securing a three-year deal with Sauber after five consecutive 12-month contracts at Mercedes. "It would be nice to have security," he expressed.

"But I always knew when I signed everything that, in three years, it will be the same thing again. It's kind of exciting as well, in the end, if there is a change. I'm fine with the situation - it's been interesting - but I want to get it sorted soon. Then I'll be even happier again."