Even before being relegated to a reserve role in F1, Valtteri Bottas never stopped expressing his love for cycling and often took part in competitive events during the season. Now that he won’t be a full-time driver in the sport, Bottas will have more time for the same and has already taken part in one before the campaign’s start.
The Finn competed in the 2025 AusCycling Road National Championship in Perth, participating in the amateur class for men aged 25-39.
Revered F1 photojournalist, Kym Illman took to the event to speak to the locals and whether or not they were cheering the #77 driver on. “Love him, mate. It’s the mullet that does it for me. Good on him for racing [for] our culture and what he does. He’s an honorary Australian as far as I am concerned,” one fan said.
Valterri Bottas commissioned Aboriginal artist Ricky Kildea to hand paint his helmet for the Australian GP.
Bottas will auction it off after this weekend with all proceeds going to local Indigenous communities
(via @alfaromeostake) pic.twitter.com/FV3AD35wGW
— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) March 31, 2023
However, it wasn’t just one person rooting for Bottas, who will serve as Mercedes’ reserve driver for the 2025 season. Illman spoke with several fans around the circuit who seemed to support the former Sauber driver.
It’s no surprise that Bottas is popular among Australians and cyclists in general. He is in a relationship with Australian pro-cyclist Tiffany Cromwell, who has helped him get up to speed with her sport and fully immerse himself in it.
Why does Bottas love cycling so much?
Bottas left Mercedes, where he won 10 races between 2017 and 2021, to join Sauber three years ago. The move saw him fade from the front of the grid, as the Swiss team spent the entire period as a backmarker, giving Bottas no opportunity to compete for anything significant.
As such, the 35-year-old started craving for competitiveness. And cycling ignited that fire inside him once again, which made him love the sport so much. “Because I feel like on the start line, pretty much everyone is on more or less on the same… they have the same chances to win or do well. So for me, that’s really refreshing,” said Bottas.
With his time at the Hinwil-based squad now over, Bottas will return to Brackley to fulfill his role as Mercedes’ reserve driver. For now, a comeback to the grid seems unlikely, but the future may hold unexpected opportunities for him.
