A recently axed star of Formula 1 has issued a stunning update on their post-season activities via social media.
The 2024 season concluded at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last month where, for many drivers on the grid, it marked their final race as they knew it ahead of a major change for next season.
'Silly season', as the F1 driver transfer window is often referred to, started before the on-track action had even begun in 2024 after seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton announced his move to Ferrari after 12 years with Mercedes in a shock switch.
This triggered a domino effect of driver contract decisions, with many stars on the 2024 grid no longer retaining a full-time seat for next season as a result.
Following the news that Sauber had opted for a brand new duo of Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg ahead of their transition into Audi, both Bottas and Zhou were left unlikely to find a full-time seat on the grid.
Instead, Bottas returned home to his former team Mercedes as their reserve driver, meaning he will still have plenty of time for his array of hobbies outside of F1 next year whilst still keeping his F1 skills ticking over.
In his latest post-season update, the Finnish driver revealed he had been spending the F1 winter break in South Australia, basking in the sunlight with his partner Tiffany Cromwell.
The 35-year-old adopted his alternative Aussie persona, taking to social media platform 'X' to show off astonishing beach snaps, captioned: "Louth island life 🏝️"