Formula One driver Valtteri Bottas has completed a 419-kilometre cycle ride from Malaysia to Singapore to reach this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix after opting out of flying on a private jet.
The 37-year-old Finnish driver snubbed the private aircraft typically favoured by Formula One drivers, choosing instead to undertake an off-road journey across Southeast Asia on his gravel bicycle.
Bottas started his ride shortly after crashing out of Sunday's chaotic Bahrain Grand Prix, which was relocated to Malaysia due to security concerns in the Middle East. He needed to cover 419 kilometres (260 miles) to reach Singapore by Thursday in order to fulfil his mandatory media commitments before racing begins.
Multi-day off-road ride across Southeast Asia
Bottas was accompanied on the journey by his partner Tiffany Cromwell, a professional road and gravel cyclist from Australia. The pair opted for unpaved terrain rather than major highways, riding on gravel roads less travelled.
On Monday, the second day of the trip, Bottas spent nearly six hours in the saddle to complete 161.91 kilometres. He added another 161 kilometres on Tuesday as they neared the border.
The Finnish driver documented the expedition across social media, sharing videos and photos along the way. In one post on X filmed while cycling at night, Bottas wrote: "Yea I'm riding to Singapore. On the gravel roads less travelled with my new @canyon_bikes Grail CFR. See you there." In another update, he noted he was "taking the path less travelled (and maybe a bit longer)."
On Wednesday afternoon, Bottas confirmed he had reached his destination by posting a selfie from his bike. He captioned the photo "419.67km commute" alongside a tick emoji, and shared an image of his official certificate of completion.
Cycling achievements and missed championship
While unusual for an active Formula One driver, the journey aligns with Bottas' long-standing passion for endurance cycling. He frequently competes in gravel events alongside Cromwell during the motorsport season.
Earlier this summer, Bottas qualified for the Gravel World Championships after finishing fifth in an off-road qualifying event in the Czech Republic. However, because the World Championships clash directly with this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix, Bottas is unable to participate.
In addition to entering gravel races worldwide, Bottas is actively involved with FNLD GRVL, an annual gravel cycling race hosted in his native Finland.
Challenging debut season with Cadillac
The physical challenge comes during a frustrating 2026 campaign for Bottas with the Cadillac team. The 10-time Grand Prix winner joined Cadillac this season after spending 2025 as a reserve driver for Mercedes.
Through the opening 16 races of the season, Bottas has failed to score a point and has registered eight retirements, including his crash in Malaysia on Sunday.
Having completed his long journey on two wheels, Bottas will return to four wheels on Friday for practice sessions at the Marina Bay Street Circuit ahead of Sunday's Singapore Grand Prix.
