F1 star hits new 2024 low with 133RD PLACE race finish

Valtteri Bottas and Daniel Ricciardo at an F1 press conference — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 Off The Track

1 reactie

F1 star hits new 2024 low with 133RD PLACE race finish

Valtteri Bottas' challenging 2024 has continued in another recent race

Simmey Hannifin Donaldson

Monday 7 October 2024 10:57 Updated: 13:00

Formula 1 star Valtteri Bottas has hit a new low this season after finishing a race in 133rd place.

2024 has been a challenging year for the 10-time F1 race winner thus far, with the Kick Sauber car often struggling for pace, whatever the track.

F1 HEADLINES: Ricciardo RETIREMENT discussed as Wolff reveals SHOCK signing

Article continues under video

As a result, the team sit rock-bottom of the constructors' standings so far this campaign, with Bottas and team-mate Zhou Guanyu yet to score a point between them.

This leaves Sauber as the only team on the grid yet to register a point, with the team above them in ninth, Alpine, with 13 to their name.

Valtteri Bottas has endured a challenging 2024

Kick Sauber have struggled to show pace with their 2024 car

Valtteri Bottas hits new low

Last time out at the Singapore Grand Prix, Bottas was once again way off the points, finishing a lowly 16th place and a lap down on race-winner Lando Norris.

With a few week's break between the race in Singapore and the United States Grand Prix, however, Bottas opted to compete in a different kind of race.

However, his finish there was his lowest of the season so far. Competing in the Gravel World Championships in Belgium, the Finnish driver competed in the amateurs 35-39-year-old category and ended up down in 133rd.

In fairness to Bottas, it is a gruelling event and one he had to earn the right to be there for.

Bottas qualified via the 'Swartberg 100' last year in South Africa, taking the last qualifying spot for the world championships in the amateurs category - an impressive achievement in itself.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Valtteri Bottas (@valtteribottas)

Despite his lowly finish, by finishing the race in one piece, Bottas has achieved what he set out to, according to a post he put on Instagram a day ahead of the race.

"Tomorrow we race @gravelchampionshipsflanders 🚲," the Sauber driver posted.

"End of last year I set myself a little side goal - to qualify for the Gravel World Championships in my age group. With the Finnish SISU somehow I did. And here we are! I’m about to have 182km long challenging course ahead of me representing Finland. It’s gonna hurt & and I can’t wait for it!

"My goals? I want to challenge myself. I want to finish the race in one piece. And most importantly, I want to enjoy being part of all this, to the fullest!

"See ya out there 🍻."

This is not the first time that Bottas has achieved an impressive sporting feat, either.

Last month, the Finn competed in a charity event that entailed pedalling across 180km of the Mediterranean - a test Bottas admitted was 'pretty, pretty epic'.

Whilst the Finn continues to struggle on track, he is certainly impressing off it, even if the numbers do not always suggest it.

Lewis Hamilton Toto Wolff Valtteri Bottas Zhou Guanyu Kick Sauber