Valtteri Bottas has taken advantage of the Formula 1 summer break to secure his qualification for the UCI Gravel World Championship, finishing fifth in his category at the competition held in the Czech Republic.
The Finnish driver, who competed in a 131 km off-road cycling event alongside his partner, Olympic cyclist Tiffany Cromwell, showed an enviable attitude different from that of his F1 colleagues, who relax during the August holidays.
In posting on Instagram, Bottas commented on the experience: ‘While others are relaxing on their boats, I have completed 131 km at the UCI Gravel World Series in Hlinsko. I finished fifth in the 35-39 Men’s category and qualified for the gravel world championship. I really enjoyed this experience!’
This performance comes after a challenging start to the season for Bottas, who spent a year away from full-time driving last year, working as a reserve driver for Mercedes. Now, at Cadillac Racing alongside former Red Bull driver Sergio Pérez, he must face the adaptation to a new team in the competition.
Currently, Cadillac sits in last place in the constructors’ championship without points, just one behind Aston Martin. Bottas’s best result in the races so far has been a 13th place finish at the Chinese Grand Prix.
After a retirement in the Hungarian Grand Prix, the driver reflected on the difficulties: ‘It’s not the best way to start the summer break, but it’s an opportunity to learn. We have progressed a lot as a team in a short time, and I am proud of everyone’s work. These defeats will only make us stronger in the future.’
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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