‘Good To Be Home’:

A Message from Valtteri

Of course, as a racing driver you want to be one of the 20 who lines up on the F1 grid 24 times a year, but it was clear in my mind this team was going to be the best thing for me in 2025.

It’s been like coming home. It feels like yesterday that I left, and walking back through the gates at Brackley last week was such a nice moment.

If I walk around the factory, people stop for a chat, it’s been really, really nice.

I’m getting used to the area all over again too. Within two days of arriving in the UK, I’d had a curry and pub dinner!

It's been great to catch up with everyone and see all the familiar faces I have worked with in the past. Just as I’d started writing this, my old race engineer Ricci [Musconi] popped his head through the door and asked when we could have lunch together.

Gluten free fish and chips with a good friend on a Friday afternoon? Sounds good to me.

One thing that has changed for this year is our team clothing. It was really cool to be at the adidas HQ to help launch the partnership at the start of the month. They’re a really iconic brand and everything looks great.

I’ve noticed I have been wearing the sweatpants from the casualwear range a lot in the evenings – the one with the PETRONAS stripe – so they’re obviously becoming my favourite.

So, what will I be up to this season? Allow me to explain.

As the Third Driver, I’ll be at every race, involved with everything to do with performance on and off track. Whether its set-up or driving, I’ll be trying to use my experience to contribute to this great team.

I’ll be getting stuck into data, looking at George and Kimi’s onboards, providing that extra pair of eyes. Hopefully, I can keep driving and do some testing too.

At the factory, I’ll be in the simulator lots, doing development work for the W16. I’ve been getting up to speed with everything so far, learning about the new car and the plans for it this season.

I spent Valentine’s Day doing a seat fit. It was love at second sight! Turns out, my old seat from 2021 still fits just fine.

There will be some marketing and partner days too, and TikToks of course – I think we’ll have some fun moments on social media this year, so keep your eyes peeled!

Make sure you’re focussing on the two drivers at the wheel of W16, too, it’s going to be exciting. George isn’t a rookie anymore, he’s got a few years under his belt and has shown he can win races and fight for titles – it’s a big year for him, but he will maximise every opportunity.

And then Kimi. For him it will be a steep learning curve. He is very young, but he has shown the talent and the commitment. He has been working really hard and it’s been an intense pre-season for him.

I’m sure he’ll have a question or two for me at points through the year, but I will be there to answer them. He will learn a lot from George, too. I am looking forward to seeing his growth and development this year.

Hopefully, as a team we will be fighting at the front. If we are, so much of it will be because of the people at the factories. They are professional and have the right work ethic and mentality. They have a winning attitude, and it’s great to be with people like that again.

I’ve missed it here.

Anyway, the fish and chips are calling, and so is a busy couple of weeks before the season starts. I look forward to seeing you all at a racetrack in the near future.

Talk soon,

Valtteri (Tiger King).