Valtteri Bottas, a former teammate of Lewis Hamilton, reported that his Cadillac Escalade was stolen during the recent Miami Grand Prix weekend. The car was taken from the driveway of the Airbnb where he was staying, and Bottas expressed his disbelief at the incident, stating, “I woke up Saturday morning. I was in the shower about 15 minutes before leaving for the track. And then Paul Harris, who also stayed in the Airbnb, is calling me,” he recounted, adding, “I said: ‘What do you mean?’ Well, the car is gone,” reports BritPanorama.
Following the theft, Bottas faced immediate logistical challenges, as he had to arrange alternative transport to the track. Fortunately, the organisers provided another Escalade to ensure he arrived in time. However, he encountered an additional setback when he realised that his paddock pass was also inside the stolen vehicle. “I didn’t have a paddock pass. So anyway, I found a solution for that,” Bottas explained, noting that the FBI was involved in the investigation due to the circumstances surrounding the theft.
Bottas indicated that the thief showed no particular interest in the sport, as evidenced by the presence of his paddock pass and VIP parking pass in the vehicle at the time of the theft. He elaborated, stating, “He had all the opportunities for that day, get the VIP parking, walk to the paddock, sign in, go to the team. But no, the next day it was found dumped already somewhere in a dodgy area, in a high-crime area.” The involvement of law enforcement was prompted by the potential implications of the stolen car being linked to broader criminal activities.
Though disappointed by the loss, Bottas maintained a pragmatic outlook, suggesting that the car may have been used in another crime before being abandoned. “They had my pass, but they obviously weren’t interested in the F1 race. Apparently, they probably just did a crime with the car and dumped it.” In yet another twist, he referred to the incident as “sad” but also remarked, “it’s pretty cool,” reflecting a complex range of emotions regarding the bizarre turn of events during a high-profile racing weekend.
The episode underscores the vulnerabilities even high-profile sports figures face while traveling in major urban centres. It serves as a reminder of how quickly the glamour of motorsport can intersect with the realities of crime, often leaving participants to navigate unforeseen challenges.
