Race and classic pictures

Bottas completes epic 419km ride to Singapore

Valtteri Bottas has officially arrived in Singapore – although most F1 drivers would probably have chosen a slightly less arduous route.

Rather than taking the quick flight from Kuala Lumpur, the Cadillac driver climbed onto his bike and embarked on a 419.67km, three-day adventure through Malaysia and into Singapore, deliberately seeking out what he described as “paths less traveled”.

And judging by the footage, that description was doing some serious heavy lifting.

The Finn tackled jungles, gravel tracks, dusty roads and a few obstacles that clearly weren’t included in the standard F1 travel itinerary. There were snakes, unexpected detours and plenty of moments when the sensible option might have been to turn around – but Val kept pedalling.

He covered more than 160km on both Monday and Tuesday, spending around six hours in the saddle each day, before finishing the final 40km-plus leg into Singapore in 1hr 39min.

After spinning out of the chaotic Bahrain GP in Sepang, Bottas has certainly found a more enjoyable way to make his way to the next race.

The cycling enthusiast, who regularly rides around F1 venues and shares the passion with girlfriend Tiffany Cromwell, has now completed one of the paddock’s more unusual commutes.

And if you want to hear what happened when the bike met the jungle, the snakes and everything in between, Bottas will be recounting the adventure on his upcoming ‘What’s Next?’ podcast.

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

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