Fans Go Wild as Mercedes Poke Fun at Themselves With Valtteri Bottas Meme

Among drivers who enjoyed their outing in last week’s Italian Grand Prix, Valtteri Bottas ranks high on that list. Despite taking a grid penalty for a new power unit, the Finn pulled off a series of overtakes to finish on the podium.

While his actions on-track drew attention from fans, those after the race drew just as much, if not more. During the post-race interview, former Red Bull driver David Coulthard drew Bottas’ attention to the screen behind him, which showed a replay of Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton’s crash.

The Finn’s reaction saw social media create a new meme, with Mercedes acknowledging the same ahead of the Russian Grand Prix.

Mercedes use Valtteri Bottas to remind fans of the Russian Grand Prix

Bottas showed tremendous pace all weekend in Monza. He secured pole on Friday and won the sprint race on Saturday to score three points before Sunday’s race. However, the need for a fourth power unit saw the 32-year-old take a grid penalty which sent him to P19.

Despite that setback, he put in an impressive shift, finishing three seconds behind Lando Norris, who took second place. Before heading to the podium, Bottas saw a replay of the incident involving Verstappen and Hamilton. After seeing the crash, the Finn simply turned around and gave a slight smile while mentioning it was unfortunate.

This prompted several reactions on Twitter, and Mercedes even acknowledged the hilarious reaction from their experienced driver. Ahead of the Russian Grand Prix, they reminded their fans this week is race week, while referencing Bottas from Drive to Survive.

In the third season of the Netflix show, cameras recorded the Finn saying, “Traditions” while enjoying a beer after last year’s win in Sochi.

This post from the Silver Arrows saw their fans send in several reactions. While some credited Bottas’ reaction, others hoped for more incidents from the championship protagonists to see this reaction regularly.

READ MORE: WATCH: Valtteri Bottas Gives Tour Of Mercedes’ Special Motorhome

Can Bottas record consecutive wins at the Sochi Autodrom?

Although Lewis Hamilton suffered a 10-second penalty, Bottas displayed tremendous skill to merit his win in last year’s Russian Grand Prix. The Finn is quite a threat on this track, winning his first ever F1 race here in 2017.

After his impressive drive in Monza, the 32-year-old looks in much better form than earlier this season. And with the Sochi Autodrom being one of Mercedes’ strongest tracks, Bottas could be a favourite to notch his first win of the season.

WATCH STORY: Toto Wolff Swears, Valtteri Bottas Bares: Funniest Moments From Drive to Survive