The "time for talking is fast approaching" as Mercedes starts a new year with Formula 1 waiting for a "big announcement" about who is going to replace retired world champion Nico Rosberg alongside Lewis Hamilton, according to Alan Baldwin of REUTERS. The team made clear before the Christmas break that it would have "nothing to say before the full return to work on Tuesday." There is evidence, however, "to suggest the decision is all but made." Motorsport.com reported Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas was at the Mercedes factory at Brackley before Christmas to meet team engineers and "try out the cockpit" of the '17 car. The Finn is the bookmakers' favorite to replace Rosberg, but other elements "may need to slide into place before a deal can be announced." One would be for Brazilian veteran Felipe Massa to "agree to abandon his announced retirement and return to Williams" as Bottas' replacement. Mercedes Motorsport Dir Toto Wolff, in his "final words to the team" before the break, "gave no clues" but emphasized that Mercedes' best interests "would always come first" (REUTERS, 1/2).
DONE DEAL?: MOTORSPORT's Jonathan Noble reported Sauber reportedly reached an agreement for Pascal Wehrlein to line up alongside Marcus Ericsson this year, "paving the way" for Bottas to take the vacant seat at Mercedes. After weeks of speculation, it "appears that the final steps are now being made to get everything signed off formally." Although Wehrlein had been a contender for the Mercedes seat, "it is understood that his lack of experience" meant the team felt he was too much of a risk to be promoted to its works team just yet -- "especially going up against a driver" as tough as Hamilton. According to "sources with good knowledge of the situation," Mercedes has instead now agreed to terms with Sauber for it to take its junior driver Wehrlein for '17 (MOTORSPORT, 1/2).
