The incident unfolded while the Cadillac driver was staying at an Airbnb in Fort Lauderdale during the race weekend, where he had opted for a quieter base away from central Miami.
Bottas explained on the What’s Next podcast that he returned to his accommodation on Friday evening after on-track running, parked the vehicle in the driveway and left the keys inside the property before going to bed.
The F1 veteran was alerted to the fact the car had been stolen when a friend who he was sharing the Airbnb with called on Saturday morning to ask where he had gone.
Bottas said the SUV had disappeared from the driveway despite being locked and with the keys still inside the house.
“I went outside, opened the door. The Escalade has vanished. Keys are still inside on the table. I can see them like, ‘What? What? How?’” he recounted.
“So our car got stolen from the driveway of our Airbnb.”
The theft created immediate logistical issues for the weekend, with Bottas also discovering his paddock pass had been left inside the vehicle.
He was able to reach the circuit after a replacement vehicle was arranged, although the incident escalated once officials realised what had been taken.
The stolen SUV also contained access credentials that could have theoretically allowed entry into restricted areas at the circuit, prompting involvement from law enforcement agencies.
Bottas confirmed that the FBI was brought into the case and a full investigation was launched.
He later revealed the vehicle was eventually recovered in a damaged state in a high-crime area of the city, with authorities believing it may have been used as a getaway vehicle before being dumped.
“The police and FBI got involved,” he added.
“We had the parking pass, so somebody could have driven the car to the track. They had my pass, but they obviously weren’t interested in the F1 race.
“Apparently, they probably just did a crime with the car and dumped it.
“So, in my mind, it must have been like a getaway car or something, you know?
“Like, it’s sad that we lost the car, but it’s pretty cool.”
Following the incident, additional security was reportedly stationed at the property for the remainder of the weekend as a precaution.
Bottas also expressed surprise at how quickly the vehicle’s tracking systems appeared to have been disabled.
“There must be a lot of technology involved. Like, how do you get into a car and immediately shut down the tracker, all these things? Impressive!” he said.
Valtteri Bottas completed the Miami Grand Prix in 18th place after the unusual weekend disruption.
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