Mercedes Formula 1 driver Valtteri Bottas is no stranger to going sideways at speed, but the Finn is a relative newbie to rallying. He showed his driving skills to great effect this weekend when contesting the Arctic Lapland Rally, the first round of the 2020 Finnish Rally Championship.
Struggling to come to terms with the snow and ice, Bottas rounded out his first day in the Citroën DS3 WRC he pilots with fellow Finn Timo Rautiainen (who co-drove with Marcus Gronholm to two FIA World Rally Championship titles) in 22nd overall. A stronger second day’s performance saw Bottas claw his way up the general classifications to end the event in ninth place overall.
This is the Finn’s third rally to date, of which he won his last outing at the Rallycircuit Côte d’Azur 2019. This weekend’s event was worlds apart with snowfall, snowbanks and slippery conditions with which to contend.
Toyota youngster Kalle Rovanpera claimed overall victory at the event.
Bottas will next be in action when Formula 1 testing begins at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on February 19, ahead of the season-opener in Australia on March 15.
Bottas finished runner-up to team-mate Lewis Hamilton in last year’s championship.
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