Oscar Piastri and Daniel Ricciardo won’t be the only Aussie drivers contesting the Australian Grand Prix this weekend, as there seems to be a growing acceptance of Finland’s Valtteri Bottas as one of our own.
As evident in the advertising material for the event, in which both Piastri and Ricciardo are heavily featured – with Bottas very much present also.
“I arrived in Melbourne and saw this big billboard with Oscar, Daniel, and me. So it’s pretty cool to every year come here and keeping getting the attention,” Bottas told The Roar during an open media call ahead of the Australian Grand Prix.
The 34-year old hailing from the small town of Nastola in Finland, has enjoyed a handsome Formula One career thus far.
He’s achieved 10-grand prix victories, having driven for the powerhouse Mercedes outfit during five of their eight-year spell of consecutive constructor’s championship wins.
Bottas is an Australian Grand Prix winner too. Back in 2019 he took the win by 20-seconds over his teammate, and statistically the most successful driver of all-time, Lewis Hamilton – before delivering the infamous foul-mouthed line to his doubters: “to whom this may concern, f*** you”.
Though coming from the soaring heights of being a race winner and contender for pole positions, Bottas seems to be enjoying a more relaxed life at the Sauber, née Alfa Romeo.
Having been replaced by Mercedes heir apparent George Russell in 2022, the Finn found refuge at the Swiss team – albeit a team consigned to the rear of the field.
Valtteri Bottas of Finland on the Melbourne walk ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Albert Park. (Photo by Qian Jun/MB Media/Getty Images)
Bottas has adopted himself into the Aussie lifestyle – thanks to his South Australian born partner in Olympic cyclist Tiffany Cromwell.
Proudly donning the iconic bleached mullet, as well as a David Boon-esqe moustache – Bottas has gone full bogan.
Something that wouldn’t have been during the Mercedes years, where a clean-shaven and methodical Bottas was front and centre.
“Maybe I would have struggled with my confidence to do something like that,” The Finn noted.
“But I think with a bit more age and more experience, I’ve learned not to take myself too seriously.”
As seen in the buildup to the Australian Grand Prix, Bottas’ commercial for Uber Car Share has left many viewers in stitches – as he embraces the Aussie lifestyle.
His special helmet for the weekend too, depicts the time-honoured Aussie tradition of a sausage sizzle.
“I have a connection with my better half being Australian, and most of our off-season is spent in Australia,” he said.
“So it’s, and yeah, as you know, I like the lifestyle. I like the people. That’s what really makes this country now pretty unique for me.”
It might be questioned though, why a multiple F1 race winner who’s barely troubling the top ten these days, is seen as being as jovial as he is.
With the impending takeover of the Sauber team by German automotive giant Audi for 2026, the thought of a mullet and budgie smuggler wearing larrikin doesn’t quite marry with their strict corporate image.
However at 34-years old, the quasi-Aussie still prioritises the desire of having a car capable of being at the front – as with the Mercedes.
“Although I do all kinds of other things, in the end for me, everything is secondary next to F1. So, winning will come first,” Bottas said.
Only time will tell if he will ever re-emerge at the front of the field, though while he’s lapping up the adoration of his adopted country.
In return, we’re enjoying and appreciating his ocker antics.
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