Photo by Qian Jun/MB Media/Getty Images
The F1 driver raised money for charity in the most ‘Valtteri Bottas’ way possible
In a sport filled with fascinating personalities, Formula 1 driver Valtteri Bottas might top the list.
And while the 2023 season is over, the driver continues to make headlines. In perhaps the most Valtteri Bottas way possible.
Ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Bottas announced his latest pet project: “Bottass.” A 2024 calendar featuring, well, a lot of the driver himself. Bottas made waves last year when his partner Tiffany Cromwell snapped this photo of Bottas lying naked in a stream in Aspen, Colorado:
The resulting buzz the photo created led Bottas to partner with photographer and creative Paul Ripke to do a special one-day-only run of prints of the photo for charity. Over 5,000 people bought a special print of the photograph, which raised €50,000 for charity.
So earlier this month, Ripke and Bottas introduced “Bottass 2024,” complete with an absolutely hilarious art show unveiling:
The goal was to raise money for “Movember,” and prostate cancer research.
Earlier today, Bottas provided an update, indicating that around $150,000 has been raised for charity:
The last day of @Movember ✔️
Thank you so much for all the support in November. With the donations and with the calendars we have together raised a substantial amount for @Movember – meaning WE have really helped and will effect and save many people’s lives
Final figures to… pic.twitter.com/oXCs2Qm1ly
— Valtteri Bottas (@ValtteriBottas) November 30, 2023
However, despite the stunning success of “Bottass 2024,” there were some skeptics.
The driver’s mother.
In an interview with Motorsport, Bottas outlined how his mother initially questioned the decision to produce this calendar. Only when she learned it was for charity did she get on board.
“Well, I did get a message from my mum,” he said. “Like, ‘What is this?’ She doesn’t really understand English either that well, and she saw some of the videos that I posted, and she was quite confused and protective. Like, ‘Are you sure that’s the path you want to go?’
“So then I explained the charity thing, and so it’s fine. I’ve had questions, people asking like, why did you do that? Like why do you want to show your ass?
“But then when I explained the charity aspect and people kind of get it. And we had so much fun, you can imagine, making that, taking those pictures.”
Given the success of “Bottass 2024,” we can only imagine what the driver and Ripke have in store for us next year.
