Valtteri Bottas is to take the wheel of a Ferrari Formula 1 car in a special one-off showing in Australia ahead of his return to the sport with Cadillac.
The Finn will climb into the cockpit of the Scuderia’s 1985 challenger – the 156/85 – at the Adelaide Motorsport Festival, which takes place across February 28 and March 1.
Bottas will formally make his return to F1 a week later in Melbourne, with the Ferrari-powered Silverstone-based squad alongside fellow returning veteran Sergio Perez.
The 36-year-old spent last year with former employers Mercedes, keeping himself sharp as he sought to make a swift comeback following his ousting from Sauber at the end of 2024.
1985 was the first year in which F1 visited the city, and spent the following decade as its Australian destination, before switching to its current Albert Park location in 1996.
The 156/85 saw Ferrari narrowly miss out on the Constructors’ Championship that year, in which Michele Alboreto took two wins en route to second in the Drivers’ standings.
And it is the late Italian’s #27 chassis that Bottas will drive at the fondly-remembered street circuit, as well as a Holden HQ Monaro the day before, as well as meet-and-greet with fans on the second day.
The week will likely be a home from home for Bottas, as he and his Australian partner – cyclist Tiffany Cromwell – own a vineyard close to Adelaide
Bottas will make his first appearance behind the wheel of a Cadillac at the behind-closed-doors first test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Cataluyna later this month.
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