25-07-2025
Valtteri Bottas reveals his secret past as a sniper before F1 success with 10 Grand Prix wins
Valtteri Bottas reveals his secret past as a sniper before F1 success with 10 Grand Prix wins (Image via Getty)
Valtteri Bottas, the Finnish driver of Formula 1 is a very calm nature with excellent racing skills behind the wheel but there is a side to him that most fans don't know about. Bottas raced in Formula 1 and won 10 Grand Prix races, but as a prerequisite, he was in the army, more accurately, he was a sniper, in the Finnish army, from 2008 to 2009.
This was the national duty of Finland to all males. During this time Bottas was also developing his career in racing.
Valtteri Bottas trained as a sniper during Finland's mandatory military service
In 2008, Valtteri Bottas was already participating in the Formula Renault Eurocup series. There he won while beating the well known drivers like Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne.
But during that same year, he was also completing six months of military service in Finland. Speaking on the Red Flags podcast, Bottas shared that he was trained as a sniper during that time.
— valtteribottas (@valtteribottas)
He said,
'Because I was racing, I only had to do six months. But in six months of Finnish winter, I became a sniper. I was a good shot. That's why they made me kind of a sniper.'
He also explained that he was trained to go behind or in between the enemy, showing just how intense his training was.
His motorsport goal did not stop his military experience. Bottas placed third in the Formula 3 Euro Series in 2009 right after completing his service.
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His rise in racing came from that success, which also landed him to Formula 1 with Sauber, Mercedes, and Williams.
Valtteri Bottas says military life made him stronger in racing
Even though it was tough, Bottas said he learned many life lessons during his time in the army. In a past interview with People, he said, 'When you're tired and sleeping in the freezing forest, it's not fun. But it teaches you teamwork, self-discipline, and how to respect the little things in life.'
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He claimed that, after those icy evenings, sleeping in a warm bed was a luxury.
The mental toughness the program gave him enabled him to tackle difficult events later on. From aiming at snow to standing on Formula 1 podiums, Valtteri Bottas's story in sports is peculiar.
FAQs
1. How many F1 races has Valtteri Bottas won?
Valtteri Bottas has won 10 Formula 1 races.
2. When did Valtteri Bottas serve in the Finnish military?
He served from 2008 to 2009 while also racing professionally.
3. What kind of military training did Valtteri Bottas receive?
He was trained as a sniper during his six months in the Finnish army.
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