Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas says he was chased by a dog, saw snakes and leapt over a lizard as he cycled from Malaysia to Singapore for this weekend's Grand Prix.
The Finnish driver arrived in Singapore on Wednesday after choosing a 260-mile (419km) bike ride over a flight from last weekend's Formula 1 race in Sepang, outside the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. The 37-year-old began his journey just hours after spinning out of Sunday's chaotic Grand Prix, taking a trip that involved off-road and gravel trails as well as cycling at night.
"I saw some snakes, which I was a little bit worried about, but actually they were pretty chill," said Bottas. "I saw one cobra, one python just crossing the path in front of me. I had to jump over a lizard on a bike because I saw it last minute. I got chased by one dog, and I got stuck behind a group of cows on one small track."
Bottas is an accomplished cyclist who finished fifth in his age group at a qualifying event in the Czech Republic during Formula 1's summer hiatus, earning a spot at the Gravel World Championships. Unfortunately for him, the championships take place this weekend as well, so he will be competing on four wheels instead of two. He has also previously used a cancelled race weekend to compete in a gravel race in Scotland.
The ride comes amid a difficult return to Formula 1 with new team Cadillac. Bottas is 22nd in the drivers' standings, has yet to score a point after 16 Grands Prix, and has failed to finish eight races. "The wildest part was the riding at night in the jungle," he added. "The noise in there, your mind starts to play games."
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing