From Sepang to Singapore: F1’s Valtteri Bottas swaps race seat for 350km bike ride

Valtteri Bottas, a Cadillac Formula 1 driver, has embarked on a 350-kilometre cycling journey from Malaysia to Singapore, choosing an unconventional route ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.

Accompanied by his partner, professional cyclist Tiffany Cromwell, Bottas navigated off-road stretches and gravel paths, documenting the trip on Instagram.

An avid cyclist and co-founder of FNLD GRVL, Bottas uses cycling as a form of physical and mental rejuvenation during a challenging debut season, where he currently ranks 22nd in the drivers' championship standings without a point after 16 races.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 — Cadillac Formula 1 driver Valtteri Bottas has chosen the “road less travelled” to reach this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, skipping the routine short flight to cycle the 350-kilometre distance from Malaysia instead.

His cross-country ride kicked off just hours after he spun out of Sunday’s chaotic race at the Sepang International Circuit, outside Kuala Lumpur.

On Instagram, the Finnish driver posted videos from the journey, which includes extensive off-road stretches and gravel tracks, alongside his partner, Australian professional cyclist Tiffany Cromwell.

“Yes I am riding to Singapore … On the gravel roads less travelled,” he wrote.

Bottas is scheduled to arrive in the city-state ahead of his mandatory media obligations on Thursday.

During stage two of the trek on Monday, Bottas spent nearly six hours in the saddle, clocking 161.91 kilometres across the Malaysian countryside.

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Trading the cockpit for the saddle before confronting the punishing heat and humidity of the Marina Bay street circuit is the latest in a long line of cycling pursuits for Bottas, BBC reported.

The 37-year-old recently secured qualification for the Gravel World Championships after clinching a fifth-place finish in his age category at an off-road event in the Czech Republic during F1’s summer break. However, with the World Championships clashing directly with this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, he will be unable to take up his grid spot.

Bottas is deeply embedded in the competitive cycling scene as a co-founder of FNLD GRVL, an annual gravel race hosted in his native Finland. When the 2023 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was cancelled due to floods, he redirected his weekend to compete in an off-road cycling race in Scotland.

Gravel cycling has evolved into Bottas’ primary competitive outlet away from the paddock, with the driver frequently documenting training camps and high-mileage rides alongside Cromwell.

The cross-border cycling trek provides a physical and mental reset during a gruelling debut campaign with the new Cadillac outfit.

Bottas currently sits 22nd in the drivers’ championship standings, remaining without a championship point after 16 Grands Prix while logging eight retirements so far this season.

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凯迪拉克一级方程式赛车手瓦尔特里·博塔斯在新加坡大奖赛前选择了一条非传统的路线，开始了从马来西亚到新加坡的 350 公里自行车之旅。

博塔斯与他的伴侣、职业自行车手蒂芙尼·克伦威尔一起，骑行穿越了越野路段和碎石路，并在 Instagram 上记录了这段旅程。

作为一名狂热的自行车爱好者和 FNLD GRVL 的联合创始人，博塔斯在充满挑战的首个赛季中，将骑自行车作为一种身心恢复的方式。目前，他在车手锦标赛积分榜上排名第 22 位，16 场比赛后尚未获得任何积分。

吉隆坡，10 月 6 日讯——凯迪拉克一级方程式赛车手瓦尔特里·博塔斯选择了一条“人迹罕至的路”前往本周末的新加坡大奖赛，他放弃了通常的短途飞行，而是骑自行车从马来西亚出发，行驶了 350 公里到达新加坡。

周日，他在吉隆坡郊外的雪邦国际赛道上，因赛车失控而退出比赛，几个小时后，他的跨国骑行之旅便开始了。

这位芬兰司机在 Instagram 上发布了旅途中的视频，其中包括大段越野路段和碎石路，他的伴侣是澳大利亚职业自行车手蒂芙尼·克伦威尔。

“是的，我要骑车去新加坡……走的是人迹罕至的碎石路，”他写道。

博塔斯计划于周四抵达西雅图，履行他必须参加的媒体采访活动。

在周一的徒步旅行第二阶段，博塔斯骑行了近六个小时，穿越马来西亚乡村，行程达 161.91 公里。

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据 BBC 报道，在面对滨海湾街道赛道的酷热潮湿天气之前，博塔斯放弃了赛车驾驶舱，转而骑上自行车，这是他众多自行车运动中的最新一项。

这位37岁的车手最近在F1夏季休赛期期间，于捷克举行的一场越野赛中获得其年龄组第五名，从而获得了砂石世界锦标赛的参赛资格。然而，由于世界锦标赛与本周末的新加坡大奖赛直接冲突，他将无法参赛。

博塔斯是芬兰自行车竞技界的一位重要人物，他是FNLD GRVL的联合创始人，这项年度砾石赛在他的家乡芬兰举办。2023年艾米利亚-罗马涅大奖赛因洪水取消后，他调整了周末计划，前往苏格兰参加了一场越野自行车赛。

砾石自行车运动已经发展成为博塔斯在赛场外的主要竞技方式，这位车手经常记录下与克伦威尔一起进行的训练营和长途骑行。

在与凯迪拉克新车队展开艰苦的首次合作宣传活动期间，这次跨境自行车之旅为车队成员提供了一次身心上的调整。

博塔斯目前在车手积分榜上排名第22位，16场大奖赛过后仍未获得积分，本赛季至今已有8次退赛。

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