7 memorable Bottas moments that made him a hit with F1 fans

Valtteri Bottas’s time on the F1 grid looks to be coming to an end – at least for the time being – following news of his impending exit from Kick Sauber after the 2024 season.

Since making his debut back in 2013, the Finn has enjoyed a successful career in the sport in which he has picked up 10 wins, 67 podiums and 20 pole positions. But alongside the statistics, Bottas has also notched up countless memorable moments both on and off the track that have made him an entertaining presence in the paddock.

We’ve rounded up some of the best Bottas memories that are sure to live long in the minds of F1 fans…

“To whom it may concern”

What better place to begin than with one of the sport’s most iconic soundbites of recent years. Despite achieving all of those aforementioned victories in his five-year stint with the Silver Arrows, there were also some challenging times there for Bottas – none more so than the 2018 season, in which he failed to score a win and slipped down to fifth in the standings, a contrast to team mate Lewis Hamilton’s strong drive to another title.

While he considered quitting the sport after this campaign, Bottas instead opted to come back as a reinvigorated driver in 2019. The man from Nastola looked a determined figure in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix and promptly beat Hamilton to victory – leading to him famously firing back at his critics over the radio by saying: “To whom it may concern – f*** you.”

SISU: How Bottas fought back

Bottas 3.0

Speaking of that bounce-back era, the new Bottas famously became known as ‘Bottas 2.0’. But ahead of the 2020 campaign, the question remained – would there be another era for the Finn incoming?

Mercedes answered that query in hilarious style by introducing ‘Bottas 3.0’, showing their driver sporting a dramatically long beard whilst visiting the squad’s Brackley base – whilst also partaking in some porridge and coffee, of course.

THAT calendar

After switching from Mercedes to Alfa Romeo in 2022, Bottas continued to let his personality shine through – while also showing a lot more of himself than perhaps many of us expected to see along the way.

Yes, we’re talking about the infamous Bottass 2024 calendar, featuring various snaps of the 35-year-old posing in the buff. The idea – which followed on from an Instagram photo of Bottas swimming naked in a stream being auctioned off for charity – also supported a good cause, with the $150,000 it raised going to support the men’s health charity Movember.

Social media/comedy icon

Speaking of Bottas’s social media exploits, the 10-time race winner has posted countless iconic photos and videos in recent years as well as inadvertently spawning various memes – who hasn’t come across a version of “Valtteri, it’s James” or that shot of Bottas watching a replay of Hamilton’s Monza 2021 collision with Max Verstappen?

But one of Bottas’s posts that proved a particular hit with fans came courtesy of an advert for a car rental company in his second home of Australia, with some especially brilliant acting skills from Bottas. Perhaps a second career in comedy awaits?

Making an entrance

As that ad shows, Bottas has fully embraced life as an honorary Aussie, having enjoyed spending time in the home country of his partner, pro cyclist Tiffany Cromwell.

This is something that he made abundantly clear when arriving in the paddock for the 2023 Australian Grand Prix, with the Finn greeting fans whilst sporting his now traditional blond mullet along with some noticeable tan lines plus flip flops on his feet. Well, it’s certainly an eye-catching look.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 30: Valtteri Bottas of Finland and Alfa Romeo F1 greets fans at the — Bottas isn't afraid to make an entrance, as his look at the 2023 Australian Grand Prix proved

Iconic helmets

In terms of his ensemble whilst he’s on the track, Bottas has brought his unique style to his helmet designs too.

A popular choice again reflected his love of Australia when he showcased the ‘Sausage Sizzle’ edition back in Melbourne 2023.

Team mate goals

Kick Sauber will welcome an all-new line-up in 2025, with both Bottas and team mate Zhou Guanyu leaving the team at the end of the season. This marks the end of an era for Zhou in particular, having only ever raced alongside Bottas since making his F1 debut in 2022.

The pair have enjoyed a good relationship in that time, something that shone through when they took part in a styling challenge at the 2023 United States Grand Prix that involved them picking out ‘cowboy style’ outfits for one another.