Formula 1: Valtteri Bottas talks whiskey sponsor's brand-new release

Sauber Formula 1 team partner WhistlePig Whiskey recently released the limited edition WhistlePig PiggyBack Rye: Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber Single Barrel.

The release is finished (or "Finnished", as the company says) in driver ValtterI Bottas’ OΛTH Gin barrels and bottled at 100.77 proof, mirroring the 35-year-old Finnish driver's car number on the race track.

While the 10-time Grand Prix winner is fast on the track, the whiskey-making process is slow, which he was happy to go in detail explaining in a TED Talk spoof he calls "BO Talks".

Bottas talks whiskey, WhistlePig

"I’ve always been a fan of great whiskey and good vibes," Bottas told Beyond the Flag. "So WhistlePig has been on my radar for a while.

"We began working together in 2022 as they became our team’s official whiskey sponsor, and the partnership has continued and grown ever since. I actually went and visited the Farm in Vermont in June which was a really cool, hands-on experience."

Bottas hadn't previously been aware of just how long the whiskey-making process took.

"It was something that really surprised me about whiskey, honestly," he said. "I’m used to going fast on the track, but some good things take time to develop. It was so interesting to me that I created ‘BO Talks’ to express my thoughts on the elaborate process. Filming this Spoof with the WhistlePig team was a very entertaining and unusual experience."

Bottas has already had the chance to sample the brand's new product.

"There’s no wrong way to enjoy it, but I personally prefer it mixed in The WhistlePig Highball. I’ve been telling my fans to sip it slow while they watch me go fast," he explained. "It’s a unique combination with Rye, but you can taste nodes of my OΛTH Gin along with the red apple, spruce, and cinnamon flavors."