Valtteri Bottas will not compete in the Race of Champions in Sweden this weekend.
Valtteri Bottas has withdrawn from this weekend’s Race of Champions, which will be staged in a snow-covered Pite Havsbad in Sweden.
On Saturday, the Alfa Romeo F1 driver was set to compete in the Nations Cup, partnering with compatriot Mika Hakkinen as Team Finland aimed for overall triumph. On Sunday, he would have been vying for individual glory in the Race of Champions duels.
Bottas took part in the week’s practice sessions, which showed him having a good time in the snow while the drivers took turns piloting some of the machines that would be utilized during the weekend.
Bottas, on the other hand, was absent from Team Finland’s pre-event press conference on Friday, where Hakkinen was joined by Emma Kimilainen, a W Series driver.
“Valtteri had commitments and a last-minute cancellation,” Hakkinen confirmed on Bottas’ behalf.
Team GB, which includes Hakkinen’s old McLaren teammate David Coulthard and W Series Champion Jamie Chadwick, will face Hakkinen and Kimilainen in the Nations Cup quarter-finals.
Kimilainen thrilled to be teaming up with Hakkinen
Kimilainen, understandably, was delighted to be racing alongside Hakkinen, a hero of hers.
“He [Hakkinen] is my childhood hero,” she beamed.
“His kids are turning eight today and I was remembering when I was their age, watching every Sunday when there was F1 [on], watching the racing.
“I could always remember Mika overtaking a couple of times around the outside, so watching him racing and now being here, it’s an honour.”
Hakkinen greeted his new teammate, calling her promotion from a Race of Champions reserve “brilliant.”
“I think it’s really great. I’m happy to have Emma,” he said.
“I’ve been following her development in W Series and her career, and we had a really good chat yesterday after her driving, so we have a good team!”
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