Valtteri Bottas puts in the laps in Adelaide!

A headline describing an F1 driver racing in Adelaide sounds like a story from a bygone era. And yet Valtteri Bottas did just that this week in South Australia's coastal capital.

But the Mercedes driver didn't travel Down Under to sample a vintage F1 car at the once Grand Prix circuit, a large portion of which still exists.

As part of his pre-season physical preparation, Bottas took part in a cycling criterium at Victoria Park along with good friend, Aussie cyclist Tiffany Cromwell.

"I never thought that I would ever happen to perform on the track in Adelaide, and even on a bicycle!," the Finn wrote on Instagram.

"On it I am still slow, like a turtle, but it was a cool experience – the first time to drive such a race and at the same time have another good workout.

"In terms of physical preparation, this off-season period was one of the best in my memory, if we talk about the quantitative and qualitative side of the process."

It sounds like VB77 is already ready to roll…