Valtteri Bottas rides 420km from Malaysia to Singapore ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

Valtteri Bottas arrived in Singapore having chosen an unusual route to reach the Marina Bay Street Circuit: instead of flying from Kuala Lumpur, the Cadillac driver cycled from Malaysia across multiple days, completing a total distance of 419.67km. He said the goal was to experience the country firsthand while still protecting his preparations for the Singapore Grand Prix.

Bottas said he was “really glad” he did the ride because it allowed him to see much of Malaysia in a few days, including “the jungles, the plantations,” and even riding at night. Speaking in Singapore, he added that he was “Happy to be here safe and [it] all went as expected,” framing the trip as both an adventure and a controlled plan ahead of his race-weekend routine.

According to the ride schedule, Bottas began cycling hours after the Bahrain Grand Prix concluded in Malaysia. That evening, he travelled 56.60km from Kuala Lumpur to Port Dickson, a journey that took him just over two hours. On Monday, he spent almost six hours cycling 161.91km via Malacca City to Muar.

He continued south on Tuesday, again spending more than five hours on the road while covering another 161km. From there, the route shifted away from the most direct lines, with Bottas spending time riding on natural paths and on gravelled, less common roads. Eventually, he reached Batu Pahat and then rode through Senggarang, before continuing via Kelapa Sawit.

Bottas’ cycling day concluded at Kulai on Tuesday. On Wednesday, he completed a “slightly” shorter leg, and after the full 419.67km journey arrived in Singapore. He described the trip as something that would not disrupt his training or race preparation, emphasizing that he had “really well planned” the daily distances so he could recover.

At Thursday’s media day, Bottas explained that the calendar of ride distances was designed to support his weekend recovery. He said the second half of the trip effectively provided a shorter “recovery day,” and that Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s workloads were manageable because he already rides long distances from time to time. He also noted that adjusting to the heat mattered, saying he had been “sweating a lot” but felt better “day-by-day” as he got used to local conditions.

The trip also provided a personal talking point beyond distance and logistics. Bottas said he overcame “some of my little fears” during the ride, adding that while he “doesn’t really like snakes,” he encountered a couple that he described as “really chill,” which became part of the humour around his cycling story in the paddock.

While Bottas has experience with two-wheeled competition, the immediate focus remains on Formula 1. Earlier in the year, he secured a place at the Gravel World Championships by finishing fifth in his age group at a Czech Republic qualifying event; however, the championship takes place this weekend, ruling out participation as he contests Singapore.

Bottas said he does not have further cycling odysseys planned in the near term, while also leaving the door open. “Sometimes you just have to jump into things,” he told the media, describing the ride as a “crazy idea” that turned out “absolutely fine.”