F1 news: Valtteri Bottas enters Sydney Race Of Champions

Formula 1 veteran Valtteri Bottas has confirmed his entry into the 2025 Race of Champions at Sydney’s Accor Stadium.

Bottas books Sydney Race of Champions entry — Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas. Image: Batchelor/XPB Images

Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas. Image: Batchelor/XPB Images

Bottas, a 10-time grand prix winner, will represent Finland on March 7-8.

The 35-year-old is in the throes of his last F1 season with Sauber. Just two races remain in 2024 in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

Bottas has become a familiar face Down Under, becoming something of an adopted Australia.

The veteran of 12 seasons in F1 grew a mullet and really leant into the stereotype, filming a commercial for Uber.

Next year’s Race Of Champions will be Bottas’ second after the 2023 edition on ice in Sweden alongside two-time F1 world champion Mika Hakkinen.

“My close relationship with Australia is no secret and I am really looking forward to competing in the first ever Race Of Champions Down Under,” said Bottas.

“Hopefully I will also have plenty of ‘local’ fans cheering for me after being granted ‘honorary Australian’ status earlier this year, even if I will of course try to beat Australia in the ROC Nations Cup and all the Aussies in the individual Race Of Champions.”

“I am looking forward to spending some time in Australia across the ‘local’ summer months and should be well acclimatized by the time we get to the first week of March.

“The Race Of Champions is a unique event and I had a lot of fun in my first participation in Sweden last year, despite getting knocked out early with Mika. Hopefully I’ll be much faster on the tarmac track inside Sydney’s Olympic stadium and be able to go all the way this time.”

Fredrik Johnsson, Race Of Champions president and co-founder, hailed Bottas’ entry.

“Valtteri is one of the great characters of our sport and is a perfect inclusion for our first-ever Race Of Champions in Australia,” said Johnsson.

“Just like last year at ROC Sweden, he will bring lots of fun as well as some seriously fast, competitive driving.”

“We were all disappointed when Valtteri was recently left without an F1 drive next year, but we are very happy that his Australian fans will still be able to see him in action at ROC Sydney the weekend before the F1 season starts in Melbourne.

“The field for the inaugural Sydney Race Of Champions is shaping up to be one of our most competitive ever and we still have plenty of big names to come.”

The event comes two weeks after the 2025 Supercars season opener at Sydney Motorsport Park (February 21-23) and one week before the opening round of F1 in Melbourne (March 13-16).

Tickets for the Race Of Champions are on sale now.