Valtteri Bottas enjoyed a successful rallying debut

Valtteri Bottas finished fifth overall, having taken a stage win, as he enjoyed a successful rallying debut at the Arctic Lapland Rally. The Mercedes Formula 1 driver took to the wheel of a WRC-standard Ford Focus, alongside two-tie WRC championship winning co-driver Timo Rautiainen.

Bottas victory came on the eighth stage, helping him recover from a slow start in the frozen conditions.

The Finn will hope the stage win augurs well ahead of the 2019 F1 season as he looks to bounce back from a 2018 campaign which featured no race wins, despite Mercedes wrapping up a fifth straight constructors' title and Lewis Hamilton taking the drivers' crown with 11 victories under his belt.

We finished my first ever rally 5th overall with a stage win today ??????

Tricky & enjoyable stages, so much fun @arcticlaplandrally ????????

Thanks to all the partners, @MSportLtd , @RautiainenTimo and everyone involved ????????#VB77 @Konecranes @WestproCCOy @AKKMotorsport @pirellisport pic.twitter.com/eIC00hDkBI — Valtteri Bottas (@ValtteriBottas) January 26, 2019

Bottas is quoted by MTV: "It was a very good overall experience.

"Our goal was to get to the finish and we did it. We learned a lot of lessons and the pace grew all the time.

"Everything went as planned. We were able to avoid the biggest mistakes, although there were a few situations."

Bottas wasn't the only name familiar to F1 fans in action, with former Ferrari driver Mika Salo also taking part and finishing 11th overall.

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