The news that runs a little wide

Bottas rides to Singapore by gravel bike: Philippeville sees its logistics model

Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas covered 419.67 kilometres by gravel bike between Sepang and Singapore, from 4 to 7 October, ahead of Thursday’s media day. The route was planned at 350 kilometres.

Fabienne holds up a diploma beside a gravel bike leaning on a Dacia's trailer, under a gazebo by a country road.

PRESS RELEASE.

Fabienne Racing welcomes the arrival in Singapore of Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac driver, who came by gravel bike from Sepang: 419.67 kilometres, from Sunday evening to Wednesday afternoon. The team sees it as confirmation of a logistics model it has applied since the start of the programme: you don’t take the plane when there’s another way.

“The driver announced: ‘Yes, I’m cycling to Singapore on the less-travelled dirt roads. See you there!’ At Fabienne Racing, we have a project, and the N5 to Mariembourg, the kart circuit, is a less-travelled road too, on a Sunday at seven in the morning,” says the team principal.

The team has studied the figures with its technical partner, her brother-in-law’s garage. On the second day, almost 162 kilometres in 5h45, averaging 28 km/h. On Tuesday, the same distance, a quarter of an hour quicker. “That’s what we call taking the lessons from one day to the next. Florian does the same between heats.”

Fabienne Racing notes that the initial plan was 350 kilometres by Wednesday evening, to respect Thursday’s media day. The driver delivered more, earlier, and received a “diploma” at the Singapore waterfront. The team remains open to discussions on a diploma partnership.

Cadillac told AFP it was a “private activity”. Fabienne Racing respects the communication of its counterparts and points out that at its end, all activities are private, the trailer included.

Your correspondent, who in his day walked from Malmedy to Francorchamps, received no diploma for it, which did not stop him arriving.

Gérard · the special correspondent, fictional character

About Fabienne Racing: one driver, one kart, one Dacia, one project.

It’s true, we checked: RTBF Sport.

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Our columnists’ reactions are fictional; the facts and real quotes are sourced above.

The other angle in French

The editor-in-chief chose this one: « Fabienne fait le rapprochement le plus net entre le périple réel et le vécu de sa petite structure, sans jamais égratigner Bottas ni Cadillac. Gérard tombe sur une durée mal calculée et sur une pique gratuite contre l'écurie. »

JosianeThe Marshal

Bottas reçoit un diplôme pour 419,67 km à vélo, Josiane n’a qu’un badge en trente ans

Valtteri Bottas, pilote Cadillac de 37 ans, a relié Sepang, en Malaisie, au bord de mer de Singapour à vélo gravel : 419,67 kilomètres du soir du 4 octobre à l'après-midi du 7 octobre. Cadillac parle d'une « activité privée ».

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The editor-in-chief’s comment Le rapport de poste tient bien, et le « diplôme pour l'attente » de Jean-Luc avec le « copy » fait sourire, mais la pique sur les vingt minutes du contrôle frontalier est faible.

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