News Summary
- Valtteri Bottas completed a roughly 420km bicycle journey from Malaysia to Singapore ahead of the Grand Prix.
- The Cadillac driver encountered snakes, large lizards, cows and a chasing dog, while riding through jungle terrain after dark.
- Bottas says the adventure helped him mentally recover from a disappointing Malaysian GP without compromising his preparation for Singapore.
Valtteri Bottas has revealed that his extraordinary bicycle journey from Sepang to Singapore involved encounters with snakes, a last-second jump over a large lizard, a chasing dog and an intimidating ride through the jungle at night.
The Cadillac driver covered 419.67km over four days after retiring from the Bahrain GP in Malaysia, choosing to cycle to the next Formula 1 race rather than take the short flight used by most of the paddock.
What began as a suggestion from his partner, professional cyclist Tiffany Cromwell, turned into an adventure through rural roads, gravel tracks, plantations and forested areas of Malaysia. Bottas arrived in Singapore on Wednesday, October 7, in time for his media commitments before the Grand Prix.
Bottas encounters cobras, pythons and a chasing dog
Bottas described several unexpected encounters with wildlife during the journey, although he admitted that the snakes were less threatening than he initially feared.
“Saw some snakes, which I was a little bit worried about but actually they were pretty chill. They were just doing their thing,” he said.
“I saw one cobra, saw one python just crossing the path in front of me. Saw some of those big lizards that you also see here.
“One was on the path, I had to jump over it with a bike. So I saw it like last minute. Got chased by one dog. Got stuck behind a group of cows on a small track. Eventually they moved away.”
The encounter with the lizard required an immediate reaction, while the dog and cattle created additional interruptions on the narrower sections of the route. Bottas was travelling through areas far removed from the highways normally used between Malaysia and Singapore, making encounters with wildlife an unpredictable part of the journey.
Riding through the jungle at night was the biggest challenge
Despite the physical demands of cycling more than 400km in tropical conditions, Bottas identified the night-time sections through the jungle as the most memorable part of the trip.
“What was the wildest part was the riding at night in the jungle. The noise in there is like … your mind starts to play games of what is out there. But then you just need to crack on and keep going. Riding with your lights at night, that was probably the most epic part in the forest.”
The Finnish driver rode through isolated sections using bicycle lights, with the sounds of animals and limited visibility making the experience psychologically demanding.
The darkness and uncertainty about what might be moving around him proved more intimidating than the animals he could actually see.
Four days and nearly 420km between F1 races
Bottas began his journey on Sunday evening, shortly after the Malaysian GP, covering 56.60km on the opening stage.
He completed his two longest rides on Monday and Tuesday, each covering approximately 161km, before finishing with a shorter 40.16km stage on Wednesday.
| Day | Distance |
|---|---|
| Sunday, October 4 | 56.60km |
| Monday, October 5 | 161.91km |
| Tuesday, October 6 | Approximately 161km |
| Wednesday, October 7 | 40.16km |
| Total | 419.67km |
The trip also allowed Bottas to explore parts of Malaysia that he would not normally experience during a Formula 1 weekend.
Bottas says cycling will not affect Singapore preparation
Bottas is an experienced endurance cyclist and has regularly competed in gravel events outside Formula 1. Earlier in 2026, he qualified for the Gravel World Championships after finishing fifth in his age group at a qualifying event in Czechia.
However, the competition clashes with the Singapore GP, preventing him from taking part.
The Finn carefully planned his longest stages for the beginning of the week, leaving Wednesday as a shorter recovery ride and Thursday for rest before returning to the cockpit.
He also considered the time spent exercising in tropical heat useful preparation for Singapore, where humidity and high temperatures place considerable physical demands on drivers.
The Singapore GP takes place from October 9-11, with sprint qualifying on Friday and Sunday’s Grand Prix beginning at 20:00 local time. GRANDE PRÊMIO follows the latest Formula 1 news throughout the Singapore GP weekend.
F1 today: FAQ
What time is the 2026 Singapore GP?
The Singapore GP starts at 20:00 local time on Sunday, October 11. That is 13:00 in the UK, 08:00 ET in the US and Canada and 17:30 in India. Singapore is a sprint weekend, with sprint qualifying on Friday and the sprint on Saturday.
Why does George Russell have a grid penalty in Singapore?
Russell has exhausted his permitted allocation of four engines after suffering a power-unit failure at Sepang. Mercedes must introduce another unit, triggering a grid penalty for Sunday’s Grand Prix. The penalty does not apply to Saturday’s sprint.
Can Kimi Antonelli win the F1 championship in Singapore?
No. Antonelli leads Russell by 84 points, 320 to 236, but cannot mathematically secure the 2026 title in Singapore. His first opportunity to become world champion comes at the United States GP in Austin.
How far did Valtteri Bottas cycle from Malaysia to Singapore?
Bottas completed approximately 420km. Different reports have rounded the distance to 418km, 419km or 420km, depending on the recorded route.
