Popular Formula One star warned against making another nude calendar by his new team boss

Fans hoping to see Valtteri Bottas release another nude calendar are likely to be disappointed, for now at least. The Finnish driver has become something of a cult hero in recent years, embracing a more free-spirited image after leaving Mercedes in 2021. One of his more memorable ventures was 'Bottass 2024', a cheeky nude charity calendar that saw the Formula One star bare (almost) all in the name of prostate cancer research.

The calendar was a surprise hit, reportedly raising over £120,000 for the cause. However, after returning to Mercedes as a reserve driver ahead of the 2025 season, Bottas has been given a friendly warning from team boss Toto Wolff that his racy photoshoots might not fit in with the brand's polished image. 'We are Mercedes, so maybe the nude calendar is not on anymore,' Wolff quipped during an interview with RacingNews365. 'But we need to keep him authentic.'.

Valtteri Bottas pictured at last year's Saudi Arabia Grand Prix when he was racing for Sauber. In late 2023, Bottas (left) released a nude calendar for charity, cheekily calling it 'Bottass 2024'. Bottas has since rejoined Mercedes and been urged by Toto Wolff (pictured) to keep his kit on. That authenticity has made Bottas a fan favourite, particularly with his embrace of a more relaxed lifestyle since leaving Mercedes. Whether it's growing out a mullet, donning cowboy hats, or stripping down for the camera, the Finn has reinvented himself as one of the most entertaining personalities on the grid.

'If he wants to keep the ugly mullet, then he should,' Wolff added through a grin. Bottas originally left Mercedes at the end of 2021 after five seasons alongside Lewis Hamilton, during which he played a key role in securing multiple Constructors' Championships for the Silver Arrows. He then moved to Alfa Romeo, now Sauber, where he led the team through a rebuilding phase, securing their best result in a decade by helping them finish sixth in the 2022 Constructors' standings.

Despite a strong start, Bottas and Sauber struggled in the following seasons, with the team slipping back down the grid. As Sauber prepares for its transformation into Audi's works team in 2026, Bottas opted for a change, parting ways with the outfit at the end of 2024. That decision has led him back to Mercedes. While he won't be racing full-time, his responsibilities will include testing, car development, and mentoring the team's new teenage driver, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who has been fast-tracked into F1 as Mercedes' next rising star.