Valtteri Bottas cycles 350 km from Malaysia to Singapore Grand Prix
Following an early retirement at the Sepang circuit, Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas is travelling 350 kilometres by bicycle to reach the Singapore Grand Prix in time for Thursday media sessions.
Retirement at Sepang and immediate departure
Cadillac Formula One driver Valtteri Bottas chose an unusual mode of transport between races, setting out on a 350-kilometer bicycle ride from Malaysia to Singapore. The 37-year-old Finn retired early from Sunday's race at the Sepang International Circuit after starting on slick dry tires in wet conditions and spinning off track. Rather than taking a one-hour flight or driving between the two venues, Bottas mounted his Canyon gravel bike on Sunday evening to make the journey under his own physical power. He documented his departure on social media and the fitness tracking application Strava, navigating through race traffic in the dark with a headlamp mounted to his helmet. Bottas explained the tactical gamble that ended his race during the opening laps at Sepang.
It was always going to be a risk starting on the slicks with the soft tyre compound and today, it didn't quite pay off.
Route details and logistics across the peninsula
The complete itinerary spans approximately 350 to 357 kilometers across the Malaysian peninsula, crossing rural territory, wetlands, and jungle environments before reaching Singapore. Bottas completed the opening leg of the trip on Sunday night, logging 56.6 kilometers from Sepang to the coastal town of Port Dickson in two hours and eight minutes. To avoid daytime heat and humidity, he planned much of the riding around sunset and into the evening hours. A Cadillac team spokeswoman confirmed that the entire ride will take three days, with the target of arriving in Singapore ahead of official commitments. The route mirrors the physical duration of multiple Formula One races while serving as part of his ongoing cardiovascular training program.
- Bottas retires at Sepang and completes a 56.6 km ride to Port Dickson
- Begins second leg of the 350 km ride across the Malaysian peninsula
- Scheduled arrival in Singapore for mandatory Formula One media duties
- First free practice sessions take place at Marina Bay Street Circuit
- UCI Gravel World Championships begin in Nannup without Bottas
Cycling credentials and missed world championships
Bottas is an experienced endurance cyclist who regularly trains alongside his partner Tiffany Cromwell, an Australian professional road racer and former Omloop Het Nieuwsblad winner. The Finnish driver competed at the Gravel World Championships in 2024, placing 133rd in the 35 to 39 age category. In August 2026, Bottas qualified for the 2026 UCI Gravel World Championship by securing fifth place in his age category at an event in Hlinsko, Czech Republic. That championship takes place on 10 and 11 October in Nannup, Australia, but Bottas cannot participate due to the scheduling conflict with the Singapore Grand Prix. His partner Cromwell had previously shared training footage of the pair riding near palm oil plantations along the Sepang coast in the week leading up to the race.
Cadillac season performance and Singapore schedule
The journey takes place during a difficult debut season for the American Cadillac outfit, which remains without a championship point after 16 rounds. Teaming with fellow race winner Sergio Perez, Bottas achieved the squad's best result of the 2026 campaign with a 13th-place finish at the Chinese Grand Prix. The team has seven remaining events to avoid matching the 2021 Haas record of completing a full season without scoring points. Bottas must reach the Marina Bay Street Circuit in time for mandatory media duties on Thursday, followed by opening practice on Friday. Free practice one for the 17th round of the championship begins on Friday, while the grand prix itself takes place on Sunday evening.
