Formula 1 driver and wanna-be gravel bike racer Valtteri Bottas has always been a big character at the vowelless SBT GRVL race in Colorado. This year, in his third appearance, he dressed up like Duffman, the iconic character from The Simpsons tv show, and won the SBT HLL CLMB (i.e. Hill Climb if you use vowels).

The Alfa Romeo driver was on summer break and accompanying pro Tiffany Cromwell to SBT GRVL, when he decided to enter the always entertaining hill-climb, where competitors race 2.2 miles up a gravel road with 1000 feet of climbing while in costume.

Bottas posted that he (ok, maybe it was actually Duffman?) won the costume race, winning his weight in beer from Denver Beer Co. That came out to about 200 cans or a keg of craft beer, which he then promptly handed out to spectators and competitors, while keeping a six-pack for himself.

Yes, a world-class F1 driver won a costume bike race and then hosted a beer bash for all while dressed as Duffman!

Why did an F1 driver enter a costume gravel bike race? “Because the prize for the best costume was your weight in beer, he told Speedcafe. “I really wanted to win the prize!”

It seems Bottas is having more success (and fun) in the gravel world than on the F1 circuit. It has been a tough season for his Alfa Romeo team, with Bottas on a 4-race scoreless streak and the team sitting in 9th place on points.

In the traditional non-costume 142 mile SBT GRVL race, Keegan Swenson and Sofía Gómez Villafañe won the men’s and women’s titles, just a week after they both took victory at the Leadville Trail 100.

Photo Credit: @valterribottas

© 2019-2023 All Rights Reserved Gran Fondo Daily News