“I Lost a Bet”: Ex-NASCAR Driver Travis Pastrana Credits Valtteri Bottas for His ‘Greatest Mustache’

He’s no longer part of the F1 grid, but Valtteri Bottas was as fun a personality as the paddock could have asked for.

Serious game face aside, Bottas was one of the most jovial figures around and a trendsetter, especially during his Sauber days. His mullet haircut, inspired by his love for Australia, and his mustache made him stand out.

As it turns out, Bottas also inspired some people — not just in F1, but across the pond in NASCAR as well.

Travis Pastrana, a former driver in the series, appeared for an interview with four-time F1 champ Sebastian Vettel recently. And out of everything, it was his mustache that stole the show. Even before the interviewer could come up with a question, she was mesmerized by Pastrana’s mustache.

“Before I get to my questions, Samuel and I got distracted, Travis, because—to quote him—’You have the greatest mustache we have ever seen,'” the interviewer said.

Pastrana replied that Bottas was the reason he decided to grow a mustache. The Finn had made an unspecified bet with Pastrana, which he lost, leaving him no choice but to grow one. “Bottas was here, I lost a bet, so yeah I am running it.” 

But will Bottas keep his widely adored mustache for long? After all, he admitted he’d be willing to sacrifice it for a chance to return to Mercedes in F1 after losing his Sauber seat at the end of the 2024 season.

Hopefully, he keeps it at least until the upcoming Race of Champions in Australia, where he is set to compete.

Bottas’ upcoming RoC adventure

Bottas doesn’t have to worry about preparing for the upcoming F1 season. He can kick back, relax, and fulfill his reserve duties for Mercedes without the intense workload of those embarking on the 24-race journey across the world.

That said, he does have another race to focus on— the Race of Champions, taking place on March 7 and 8 at Accor Stadium in Sydney. Ten teams will compete in the event, with host nation Australia fielding two different sides. Unfortunately for his Aussie fans, who have named him an honorary Oz, Bottas will represent his original team.

The other competing countries include Finland, France, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The competition will also feature an All-Star team.

As defending champions, Norway will advance directly to the quarter-finals. The remaining nine teams have been divided into three groups, with seven progressing to the next stage.

A similar format applies to the individual Drivers’ event. Out of 20 participants, Sebastian Loeb and Mick Schumacher have received a first-round bye. The remaining 18 have been divided into six groups, with only the group winners advancing to the quarter-finals.