Valtteri Bottas Shines With NHL’s Montreal Canadiens Days After P2 Finish in American Gravel Event

For a driver with 67 podiums and 10 race wins under his belt, Valtteri Bottas has had a rather miserable Formula 1 season so far in 2024. However, the Finnish driver has continued to impress his fans with his activities outside of F1. And the latest scoop comes from the world of NHL, where Bottas hit the ice with members of the iconic Montreal Canadiens.

On Thursday, Bottas took a break from his F1 schedule to spend some time with Alex Newhook and Rafael Harvey-Pinard, forwards for the Canadiens, at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard. Images on social media showed the F1 star donning a Canadiens jersey with his racing number 77.

 

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The three of them even took to the ice together, showcasing Bottas’s enthusiasm for new experiences. Another photo showed Newhook and Harvey-Pinard proudly holding Pelicans jerseys alongside Bottas. Founded in 1909, the Montreal Canadiens are the oldest continuously operating professional ice hockey team worldwide and the only existing NHL club to predate the league’s founding.

They’ve won the Stanley Cup a record 24 times, with 23 victories since the NHL’s inception and 22 since 1927, when NHL teams became the sole competitors for the trophy. Until the New York Yankees won their 25th World Series title in 1999, the Canadiens had the most championships by a team of any of the four major North American sports leagues.

Just days before his NHL outing, Bottas grabbed a stellar P2 finish at the 2024 Unbound Gravel Event in the USA.

“Finally got to take part in this big gravel event in the USA. Had fun out there racing bikes for 174km on gravel, and finished 2nd in men 30-39,” Bottas shared on Instagram.

 

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His growing passion for cycling stems from his partner Tiffany Cromwell, a professional cyclist herself. And while Bottas has been excelling off the track, his Formula 1 season has been far from smooth.

Valtteri Bottas is on a hunt to secure his Formula 1 future

So far in 2024, Sauber has struggled both operationally and performance-wise on the track, leaving them as the only team yet to score any points in 2024. This disappointing performance has left Bottas wanting more as he now starts to look for opportunities elsewhere on the grid.

However, his need to secure a new contract arose when Sauber (soon to become Audi’s works team) signed a multi-year deal with Nico Hulkenberg starting in 2025. Additionally, there are rumors that Sauber is looking to bring in Carlos Sainz, the departing Ferrari driver, further indicating that Bottas’ time with the team might be coming to an end.

Despite the uncertainty, the Finn remains confident in his abilities and is determined to stay in the sport. He is reportedly negotiating with several teams including Williams and Alpine, aiming to be part of a long-term project. With his pedigree as a race winner and a ton of experience, he might just be able to do so.