Valtteri Bottas acknowledges that part of his role in 2025 will be to mentor teenage rookie Kimi Antonelli, as the teenager steps into Lewis Hamilton's former seat at Mercedes.
Team principal Toto Wolff recently confirmed that Bottas, who returns to the team as a reserve driver after losing his Sauber seat, will play a key role in supporting Antonelli's development.
"I think you can see me as a kind of mentor," Bottas, 35, said after returning to Europe from an extended summer break in Australia.
"As a rookie, there are so many new things to learn, and I can definitely help with that."
Bottas has committed to attending every grand prix in 2025, including all technical meetings alongside Antonelli and George Russell.
However, much like Sergio Perez—who has reportedly been in discussions with Cadillac about a potential seat—Bottas remains keen to explore opportunities for a full-time return to the grid.
"I am fully committed to the upcoming season, fully committed to the team, and I am trying to help them as much as I can," he said.
"But if the opportunity arises to race, I don't think the team would be against it," he added, addressing speculation that Mercedes-powered teams such as McLaren or Williams could call on him as a stand-in driver if needed.
"Let's see what happens, let's get the season going and see what the next season and 2026 bring."
Meanwhile, F1 legend Gerhard Berger has noted that several experienced drivers in their mid-30s—such as Bottas, Daniel Ricciardo, and Kevin Magnussen—have struggled to adapt to the current 'ground effect' era.
"It does seem that some of the older drivers like (Daniel) Ricciardo, Bottas, and (Kevin) Magnussen didn't get on so well with these ground effect cars," he told Auto Motor und Sport.
"I don't know if that was down to the cars or maybe they were just past their prime. The cars were pretty evenly balanced, and when a young driver comes in with the spirit of a rookie, the older ones have a hard time.
Only (Fernando) Alonso is doing well, but that is an isolated case."
