Valtteri Bottas on F1, new team and more

Hyland is an Official Partner of Stake F1® Team Kick Sauber

Hello, friends of Hyland.

Before we talk about racing, technology and coffee — two of these things are less dangerous than the other (though I can make a mean espresso) — I want to introduce myself.

You might know me from Formula One, where I’ve spent the past 10 years as a driver with Williams, Mercedes and Alfa Romeo F1® Team ORLEN. I joined Alfa Romeo F1® Team ORLEN after the 2021 season. A few months later, I teamed up with Hyland. As I said then, Hyland and I share a belief in driving better performance — both on the track and off.

And while you might recognize me from racing, or maybe Netflix’s “Drive to Survive,” the off-track stuff can be every bit as enjoyable as a weekend spent competing against the best teams in the world.

Well, maybe not as fun as winning a grand prix, but still pretty great.

A few of my favorite things

I’m from Lahti, a beautiful lakeside city in Finland that has been recognized as one of the 10 best travel destinations in Europe. I really enjoy cycling — my girlfriend, Tiffany Cromwell, is a pro, and I host an annual duathlon each year in Finland.

I also co-own a roastery in Finland, Kahiwa Coffee Roasters. Coffee, you might have heard, is just as much a part of my everyday routine as sleep, family and racing.

A few other non-racing facts about me:

• I love porridge – it helped me get to F1! – and punk rock.

• I collect cars and enjoy traveling (anything to keep me on the move).

• Most importantly, I do things that make me happy. My advice to anyone: Follow your passion. That really can make all the difference.

Coming soon: The United States Grand Prix

OK, let’s get back to racing.

Formula One has come a long way since I was competing on go-kart tracks in Finland. Heck, it’s come a long way since I made the move to Alfa Romeo F1® Team ORLEN.

On October 23, F1 will hold the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas. It will be the first F1 race in the U.S. since the Miami Grand Prix in May, but F1 was scorching hot in the States well before that.

The Miami Grand Prix drew an audience of 2.6 million on ABC — a record for a live F1 telecast in the U.S. Heading into our summer break, F1 races were averaging 1.3 million viewers on ESPN and ABC. That was up 35% from 2021, and that year’s numbers were 54% ahead of 2020 and 39% better than 2019.

Not bad, right?

I’m excited to be heading back to Austin, where I raced to a first-place finish in the 2019 U.S. Grand Prix. That year, I earned the record for the fastest lap at the Circuit of The Americas, clocking in at 1:32.03 in a qualifying round. (The mark still stands!)

The drive for more

When I made the move to Alfa Romeo F1® Team ORLEN, I started on a fresh page mentally. I took the experience I had with my other teams and started a new chapter.

Our goal, as should be the case for any organization, was to make steady progress and enjoy ourselves. There have been some early struggles, but that’s to be expected when you start something new.

We’ve also had some cool moments. I finished sixth in the season opener in Bahrain and was fifth in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. In North America, we had a couple of seventh-place showings: in Miami and Montreal.

Thanks to the help of my team and fellow driver Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo F1® Team ORLEN is sixth in the constructor standings. That’s a nice improvement from ninth place in 2021.Now, everyone wants more. I believe that’s a healthy mindset — in sports and in business.

Pushing for better performances — on and off the track

In F1, speed and agility are paramount. You have to pivot at a moment’s notice, and you can’t accomplish anything without a strong team behind you.

It’s the same in content services. Hyland and I share similar values, and I love that they’re driven by providing innovative solutions for better business performance.

F1, like content services, is a huge business. I enjoy sharing special moments with fans and providing a glimpse at my life off the track.

You can find me on Instagram and Twitter, and be sure to check Hyland’s social media channels for some behind-the-scenes content in the months ahead.

You can also find Alfa Romeo F1® Team ORLEN on your TVs — it’s a great way to start your Sunday — and social media feeds, and you might even recognize Hyland’s logo on my racing suit and helmet.

Talk soon.