F1 star Valtteri Bottas said he enjoys cycling because it contrasts with motor racing. Speaking to Marc Priestley on the Pitlane Life Lessons podcast, he explained, “That’s why I like cycling, because it’s like the opposite. You, as a human, are the engine, you are the machine.”
Although it’s fair to say that at the pro ranks, there is an arms race with gear, Bottas noted that it’s not nearly the same as in Formula 1. The Finnish racing driver competes for the Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber. He previously raced for Mercedes from 2017 to 2021 and Williams from 2013 to 2016, achieving 10 race wins and 67 podiums. Bottas played a key role in Mercedes’ five Constructors’ Championship victories and was a Drivers’ Championship runner-up in 2019 and 2020.
“I once interviewed a guy who used to work at the Jaguar Formula 1 team back in the day, and then went on to run British Cycling,” he said. “He had an interesting perspective on the difference between the two sports at the elite level. One thing he said was, ‘Formula 1 is 90 percent the car, 10 percent the driver; cycling is almost exactly the opposite.’ He wasn’t saying that the 10 percent the driver brings is any less important, because without the whole package, you don’t win.”
In cycling, Bottas said, “the fuel comes from the legs. You, as a human, are the engine, you are the machine.” He said that he loves bike races and challenging himself because, on the start line, everyone has more or less the same chances to win or do well.
Bottas is also a co-founder and partner of FNLD GRVL, a gravel cycling event in Lahti, Finland, which he organizes with his partner, pro cyclist Tiffany Cromwell. He’s known to do a ride before F1 events as well. Given the high heart rates that drivers experience during races, they often use cycling or other cardio to stay in top shape.
“For me, that’s really refreshing,” Bottas said. “With Formula 1, you need the car and the team to succeed. It’s not a fair sport, that’s for sure. Cycling feels more fair sometimes, and that’s why I enjoy it. It’s almost like a balancing factor.”
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