Valtteri Bottas’ Cadillac comeback photo looks like AI, but a “making of” shows that the Formula 1 driver actually went swimming!
Valtteri Bottas wears a black suit with a bow tie and sunglasses. He has a drink can in one hand and a US flag in the other. And he is standing barefoot on a surfboard in the sea. This is how Bottas staged his Formula 1 comeback as a Cadillac driver on social media.
But how real is this picture – and how much was it doctored?
A post by his photographer Paul Ripke provides some insight. He published some “making-of” scenes for the now famous picture. These shots show Bottas in a suit on the surfboard and being pulled across the water by a smaller boat.
The footage also shows that Bottas did not stay dry during the shoot, but fell into the water (at least) once – along with his sunglasses, bow tie, and flag.
The picture was not taken on the high seas – the high waves are only in the photo, not in the short video sequences that Ripke posted from the shoot. The dramatic background was probably added in post-production.
Either way, the fact that this was a real photo shoot surprised many Formula 1 fans. Several fans commented on Ripke’s “making of” with the words: “I thought it was an AI image.”
How Bottas is stirring up social media
But this wasn’t the first time Bottas and Ripke caused a stir with spectacular photos. The “Bottass” picture, which shows Bottas naked from behind – hence the name – became famous. Bottas and Ripke even developed a complete annual calendar with different “Bottass” motifs.
The calendar project was a complete success: the first print run of 10,000 copies sold out quickly and had to be reprinted.
Only Bottas’ mother was not impressed by the nude pictures of her son: “She said, ‘Are you really sure this is the path you want to take?’ She wanted to protect me,” explained Bottas. However, because the nude calendar was sold for a good cause, his mother was “okay” with it.
Incidentally, Bottas is now also known beyond the Formula 1 universe, for example through his involvement with Finnish gin and coffee manufacturers. In addition, his distinctive moustache has made him a TV advertising icon.
