Darth Maul or Mercedes driver? F1 star stuns fans with mad helmet hair selfie

Mercedes F1 reserve driver Valtteri Bottas left fans stunned when he posted a Darth Maul-esque selfie on social media this weekend.

The Finn was compared to the Star Wars villain in the comments section of a recent selfie, posted after taking part in the Gravel, Grit 'n Grind in Sweden.

Bottas' race resulted in lines of dirt caking his face, and his hair waving into the shape of Darth Maul's horns, prompting a shocked response in the comments section.

"Darth Maul wannabe lookalike?", one fan commented. "Maybe better to stick to four-wheelers only," another added.

One fan even made a cheeky dig at the current speed of the Red Bull car, and posted: "You been driving the RB21?"

"Cadillac preparation," a fourth fan added, in reference to reports that Bottas has agreed to a deal with the American team.

Easy day out ? pic.twitter.com/FbxaYa4eKm

— Valtteri Bottas (@ValtteriBottas) August 16, 2025

Bottas shares bike race antics

Bottas took part in the gravel race in Halmstad, Sweden, alongside his partner and professional cyclist Tiffany Cromwell, who was named Australia's National Gravel Champion earlier this year.

The event was combined with the Nordic Gravel Championship, with Cromwell finishing fifth in the event she took part in on the Saturday.

Bottas on the other hand, although he appeared to enjoy the race, reported mechanical issues after his ride and therefore missed out on his target time.

The pair have competed in gravel events together in the past, with Bottas achieving a long held goal of riding in the gravel world championships that took place in Belgium in October last year.

Bottas finished the race in 133rd in a field of 233 within his age group, while Cromwell finished 36th in the elite women's class.

F1 HEADLINES: Hamilton given boost of confidence as Wolff hints at 2026 driver comeback

READ MORE: Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff drops hint over 2026 driver comeback

READ MORE: Hamilton receives Ferrari boost ahead of iconic grand prix

READ MORE: Horner mercilessly trolled online after Max Verstappen admission