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Toto Wolff Puts the Brakes on Valtteri Bottas’ Nude Calendar as Finn Returns to Mercedes

Simon Monroy by Simon Monroy
February 1, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Valtteri Bottas on Verge of Mercedes Return as Reserve Driver After Sauber Exit

Valtteri Bottas’ return to Mercedes may be a reunion, but it won’t come without some changes—especially when it comes to his more extravagant extracurricular activities.

Toto Wolff has made it clear: the nude calendars are out.

Bottas, who spent five seasons at Mercedes before moving to Sauber (then Alfa Romeo), has embraced a more free-spirited personality in recent years. From his “honorary Australian” persona to his famous mullet-and-mustache look, the Finn has become as much of an off-track icon as he has an on-track competitor.

But while Mercedes welcomes him back for 2025 as a reserve driver, Wolff has drawn a firm line when it comes to Bottas’ infamous ‘Botass’ nude calendar—a project that saw the 10-time race winner bare all for prostate cancer research.

Mercedes Says No to ‘Botass’ But Yes to the Mullet

Speaking to RacingNews365, Wolff confirmed that Bottas will need to tone things down now that he’s back under the Silver Arrows’ banner.

“We are Mercedes, so maybe the nude calendar is not on anymore,” Wolff said bluntly.

That doesn’t mean the team wants Bottas to lose his personality completely. In fact, his trademark mullet is here to stay.

“If he wants to keep the ugly mullet, then he should,” Wolff added with a smirk.

The message is clear: Mercedes values its image differently than Sauber, where Bottas’ offbeat antics weren’t a concern. But while the calendars may be off the table, his humor, charm, and self-expression won’t be fully restricted.

A More Serious Role: Bottas to Mentor Antonelli in 2025

Beyond his return to the Mercedes family, Bottas will have a crucial responsibility—helping rookie sensation Andrea Kimi Antonelli navigate his first season in Formula 1.

Wolff detailed how Bottas will play a mentorship role for the 18-year-old Italian, who is making the jump from Formula 2 straight into F1 with Mercedes.

“Part of the role of Valtteri will be to have a look on Kimi,” Wolff said. “Be there to coach, be there to have an eye on what’s happening on the track. And Kimi is going to learn from Valtteri and from George.”

With 101 races, 10 wins, and 58 podiums for Mercedes between 2017 and 2021, Bottas brings a wealth of experience to the team’s 2025 campaign. Should Antonelli or George Russell be unavailable, the Finn will be ready to step up.

No Word Yet on the Mustache Stickers and Movember Tributes

While Bottas’ nude calendar is officially off the grid, Wolff didn’t confirm whether other Bottas trademarks—like his helmet mustache sticker for Movember—would survive the Mercedes reboot.

Regardless, Bottas remains one of F1’s most colorful personalities, and his return to Mercedes ensures that while his on-track duties may be serious, his off-track charm isn’t disappearing entirely.

Will ‘Corporate Bottas’ Last?

Now the question remains: Can Bottas balance the new Mercedes expectations while keeping the fan-favorite side of his personality intact?

With Wolff giving a thumbs-up to the mullet but a hard “no” to ‘Botass’, it seems Mercedes is willing to embrace some of Bottas’ quirks—but only up to a point.

One thing’s for sure—2025 is going to be an interesting year for Valtteri Bottas.

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