F1 driver confirms FBI investigation after Miami Grand Prix incident
Cadillac driver Valtteri Bottas has confirmed that the FBI are investigating after his rental car was stolen following the Miami Grand Prix.
Formula 1's 11th and newest team brought a significant upgrade package to the Miami weekend after the sport's extended five-week break.
There were encouraging signs, with Sergio Perez only half a second away from getting out of Q1 in sprint qualifying, while both he and Bottas were able to race with the Aston Martins of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll in the Grand Prix proper.
That increase in performance has to put into perspective at this stage, though, with plenty of work still to do to get the American team further up the field.
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While the team might have celebrated some positive progress on Sunday evening, Bottas would probably have been even more relieved following a stressful weekend for him personally.
The Finn has explained that his rental car for the weekend was stolen from his Airbnb in Fort Lauderdale in the hours before Saturday's sprint race.
What followed was a chaotic process to get to the track as he had to find alternative transport, while his FIA paddock pass was locked in the stolen car.
"Got back Friday as normal, drove our car to the driveaway, had a quick shower, early to bed," Bottas explained on his 'What's next?' podcast. "Car keys are inside the house. The car is locked.
"I wake up Saturday morning. I was in the shower about 15 minutes before leaving for the track.
"And then Paul Harris [his personal assistant], who also stayed in the Airbnb, is calling me.
"I'm like, 'Hello? Why are you calling me? I'm like next door.'
"He was like, 'Oh, I was asking where did you go?' I said, 'What do you mean?' 'Well, the car is gone.'
"I couldn't believe it. I went outside, opened the door. The Escalade has vanished. Keys are still inside on the table. So our car got stolen from the driveway of our Airbnb.
"Obviously, I was going to be late to the track because we had to find another way of transport. Luckily they sent another Escalade, it took us to the track.
"And then I was like, 'Oh, my paddock pass was in the car'. I didn't have a paddock pass. So anyway, I found a solution for that. FBI got involved. Full investigation."
Bottas revealed how the FBI quickly tracked down the stolen vehicle to a 'high-crime area'.
"He had all the opportunities for that day!" he joked. "Get the VIP parking, walk to the paddock, sign in, go to the team.
"They had my pass, but they obviously weren't interested about the F1 race."
Ryan Smart