Valtteri Bottas embarks on an unconventional journey to the Singapore Grand Prix, completing a 350km cycling trek.
Valtteri Bottas, the Cadillac Formula 1 driver, has opted to cycle 350 kilometers (217 miles) from the Sepang International Circuit to Singapore instead of taking a flight between the consecutive grands prix.
The Finnish racer commenced the multi-day endurance journey following his early exit from Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. This event marked the return of F1 racing to Sepang since 2017 and was clinched by Max Verstappen of Red Bull.
Bottas's participation was short-lived. After choosing to start on slick tires, he spun off into the gravel and retired just nine laps into the race, leading to the deployment of the safety car.
"Starting on the slicks with the soft tire compound was always a gamble, and unfortunately, today it didn’t pay off," Bottas stated during the post-race team discussion.
"When the race commenced and I observed how quickly the cars on intermediate tires were moving, it became clear what situation we were in. We anticipated the track would dry faster and thought it was worth attempting something different, but ultimately it didn’t pan out.
"I took some chances trying to keep pace with the pack, and in the end, it was my error that concluded our race, for which I can only apologize to the team."
Instead of heading straight to Singapore with the rest of the paddock, Bottas started the initial leg of his journey south toward the Marina Bay Street Circuit on Sunday evening. The Cadillac driver intends to complete the trip in stages, aiming to reach Singapore in time for Thursday's required media engagements.
"What's even more absurd is that the others are all flying. It’s about a five-hour drive, maybe stop somewhere pleasant along the way. Experience a bit more of the world than just hotel-airport-track," one fan remarked on a post shared by Autosport.
"Award him the WDC. I’ve seen enough... pack it in, Kimi," another fan commented, while yet another added: "The fact that he's doing this between actual race weekends and not just as a publicity stunt is the most Bottas thing ever."
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