Red Bull driver Max Verstappen surprised Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas with a cheeky gift. As the holiday season got closer, Formula 1 drivers got ready to spend Christmas with those they cherish and close up the exciting 2023 racing action. Amid the festivities, the tradition of Secret Santa returned with glee, cheering everyone around the paddock.
One driver who had made a big difference off the track was Bottas, who with his creative ‘BOTTASS‘ 2024 nude calendar had raised a staggering $150,000 for charity. The Dutchman went a step further with this inventive and amusing Secret Santa gift for the ten-time Grand Prix champion inspired by this fantastic feat.
Max Verstappen surprised Valtteri Bottas with a ‘simply lovely’ gift
The surprisingly playful Verstappen handed Bottas a fascinating book titled “Museum Bums: A Cheeky Look at Butts in Art.” Seizing the chance, the three-time champion edited a few of Bottas’ iconic shots from his charity calendar to replace some of the images in the book. The concluding product was a present that made Bottas laugh warmly and nod in agreement.
Valtteri’s Secret Santa gift this year *might* just land him on the naughty list 😜#F1 @ValtteriBottas pic.twitter.com/CbVnJw0md4
— Formula 1 (@F1) December 18, 2023
When gifted, the Finnish driver said, “Interesting, ‘A simply lovely look at butts in art’, so it’s a book about art and butts” as he tore open the wrap. The present also had a note which said, “Have a cracking Christmas.” This got the driver curious about who could have gifted it and asked, “Who could it be? ‘Simply lovely,’ Max?” And bingo! It was in fact him.
As he got the answer right, he said, “Well done Max. It’s really creative, so thank you very much. Merry Christmas.” Verstappen was given away by his typical remark straight away revealing his identity while the Alfa Romeo driver was left laughing with joy.
Reigning champion uses his trophy for this unconventional purpose
As the year is near its end, fans and audiences got the chance to witness a more mischievous side of Max Verstappen. This sudden transformation came to light in a social media post he made, in which the sought-after award was put to use for a festive affair rather than being kept in sight.
Nothing to see here just Max using his Championship trophy as a Christmas Card stand 😭 pic.twitter.com/vkmEUW8zW8
— RBR Daily (@RBR_Daily) December 17, 2023
Since 2021, the Dutch driver has dominated the Formula 1 scene and this trend has continued this season, as he claimed victory in an incredible 19 of the 22 races. Despite his dominance as well as his driving skills, Verstappen could reap the benefit of having been behind the wheel of a car with a lot of power like the RB19.
With all the race wins, he also won numerous awards, although a handful of them were destroyed. However, in a recent streaming session that caught the attention of the viewers, it became clear that the newest addition to the trophy collection had been cleverly reused. The trophy was playing the casual role of a Christmas card holder, rather than being hidden away in an extravagant display case.