Image Credit: Valtteri Bottas FB
By Yong Soo Heong
When the chequered flag fell at Sepang towards dusk last Sunday, Valtteri Bottas’s race had already ended prematurely on lap nine. Few imagined the Finn from Team Cadillac would swap horsepower for pedal power.
Yet, instead of brooding over his race retirement, Bottas clipped into his Canyon Grail CFR gravel bike and set off south — with a Malaysian companion, Shaiful Nizam Yahya, better known as “Epul,” riding alongside him.
Image Credit: Valterri Bottas FB
Day One: Sepang to Port Dickson via Sungai Pelek
The journey began in the fading light as Bottas and Epul rolled out from Sepang International Circuit in the state of Selangor. Their route took them through Sungai Pelek, a small town fringed by oil‑palm plantations, before heading towards Port Dickson, a seaside town in Negeri Sembilan state known for its seafood and large energy infrastructure.
“It was surreal,” Epul recalled. “Here was a Formula One driver, riding with me through kampung roads, with only a bike light cutting through the darkness.”
That first leg covered 56.6 km in just over two hours. Bottas later admitted that the night ride was “intense — mentally more than physically,” as the shadows of the jungle played tricks on his imagination.
Image Credit: Valtteri Bottas FB
Day Two: Port Dickson to Muar via Masjid Tanah and Melaka
The second day was a true test: 161.9 km over nearly six hours. The pair pedalled past Linggi at the Negeri Sembilan border, then passed Masjid Tanah in Melaka before reaching the historic town.
Bottas paused at the busy Jonker Street in Melaka town, where he sampled chicken rice balls and satay. “I wanted to taste what locals eat, not just energy gels,” he said with a grin.
Epul remembered how Bottas marvelled at the local tourist attraction, the Dutch-built Stadthuys, its red façade glowing in the afternoon sun. “He kept saying, ‘This is so different from the paddock life,’” Epul said.
From Melaka, they pressed on to Muar in the state of Johor, riding gravel tracks and plantation roads. Bottas’s Strava entry for the day included a segment called Itsaso Bazter – Ikan Bakar Gravel Road, where he clocked the fifth‑fastest time ever. Even off the F1 circuit, his competitive streak was alive.
Image Credit: Valtteri Bottas FB
Day Three: Muar to Johor Bahru
The third day brought another 161 km of riding, pushing deeper into Johor in southern Peninsular Malaysia, home to Tanjung Piai — regarded as the southernmost tip of mainland Asia. The cycling terrain shifted between rural kampungs, palm‑oil estates, and jungle fringes. Wildlife was never far away. Bottas encountered snakes, lizards, cows, and even an aggressive dog. “The snakes were chill,” he laughed, “but the dog had me sprinting.”
Nightfall added drama. With only his bike light piercing the darkness, Bottas confessed to feeling uneasy. “You hear rustling in the jungle and wonder — is it a wild boar? Your mind starts playing games.” Epul nodded: “That’s Malaysia for you. The jungle is alive at night.”
Day Four: Johor Bahru to Singapore
By Wednesday, the finish line was in sight. The final 40 km carried Bottas and Epul into Johor Bahru, where they approached the Sultan Iskandar CIQ checkpoint.
At 2:22 pm, Bottas posted a video of himself on the Causeway, the symbolic crossing into Singapore. By late afternoon, he was riding along Beach Road towards Marina Bay, greeted not by pit crews but by curious onlookers.
At The Ritz‑Carlton, Millenia Singapore, Bottas was presented with a tongue‑in‑cheek certificate commemorating his 419.7 km ride — considerably more than the 350 km originally estimated.
More than a stunt
Image Credit: Valtteri Bottas FB
For Bottas, this was no mere publicity gimmick. A seasoned gravel cyclist, he is accustomed to long days in the saddle. Yet what made this ride special was the deliberate choice of “roads less travelled.”
He bypassed highways for dirt tracks, plantation paths, and kampung lanes, immersing himself in Malaysia’s countryside.
“It was epic,” Bottas summed up. “The distance wasn’t the challenge. It was the unknown — the jungle at night, the animals, the sounds. But that’s what made it unforgettable.”
Epul agreed: “He could have flown to Singapore like everyone else. Instead, he rode with me through places most tourists never see. That’s respect for Malaysia.”
A different kind of race
From Sepang’s roar to Singapore’s glitter, Bottas’s journey was a study in contrasts. One moment he was spinning out on slick tyres in a wet Grand Prix; the next, he was pedalling past cows on a gravel track. He swapped pit stops for satay stalls, podiums for plantation paths.
In doing so, Bottas reminded fans that resilience isn’t always about horsepower. Sometimes, it’s about grit, curiosity, and the willingness to take the long way round.
For four days, he wasn’t just a Formula One driver. He was a cyclist discovering Malaysia — one kampung, one plate of chicken rice balls, and one dark jungle track at a time.
Some content for the above article was curated from Valtteri Bottas’s Strava and FB social media accounts, and other social media and media postings.
WE