Valtteri Bottas began his career when he was just six years old racing karts in his hometown of Nastola in Finland Valtteri Bottas is regarded as an international sports star After a seven-year stint in Finland’s National Karting Squad and is now a racing driver for the prestigious Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team Formula One announced a new ambitious plan to be net zero carbon by 2030 By 2025 Formula One will also ensure all events are sustainable This will involve using sustainable materials at all events; eliminating single-use plastics; and new waste management systems to reuse / recycle / compost materials In F1 circles, Bottas is known as an enthusiastic and nature-loving person for whom cooperation with Lahti’s European Green Capital project is a matter of immense pride you learn to appreciate the things that are commonplace in Finland and luxury elsewhere recycling and other everyday choices are not taken for granted everywhere Lahti is a pioneer in environmental issues in many ways and Finnish solutions can be presented to the world,” says Bottas Valtteri Bottas spends a lot of time on racetracks around the world but he still believes his best times are spent in nature in particular the forests in Päijänne Tavastia “I want to be involved in protecting them for future generations as well Each of us can choose our own way of working for the environment It is much more meaningful to do every day environmental acts than not to act at all,” he says Lahti wants to support Finland's climate goals; and raise awareness of the city’s long-term environmental commitments and actions both at home in Finland and around the world Lahti wants to stimulate discussion in various circles as the city advocates that caring for the environment is a shared responsibility The city’s diverse programme for 2021 includes different types and sizes of events and partnership projects that the city will execute sustainably This year, the annual sports event that Bottas organises, the ‘Valtteri Bottas Duathlon’ will be held in Nastola as part of Lahti’s European Green Capital 2021 programme Setting an example for responsible event management it aims to be a carbon-neutral sporting event for the whole family The event will remind people that everyone can do their bit for the environment and that all actions - big and small - make a difference The race even has a one-minute time penalty for any racer seen to be littering In 2019, together with Loiste Energia, the carbon footprint of the Duathlon was reduced by 8,500 kg CO₂. Initiatives like the Valtteri Bottas Duathlon can help Europe to achieve its 2030 Climate Target Plan goals and can set an international example for the sporting sector Europe is aiming to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 putting Europe on a path to become climate-neutral by 2050 Eetu Floor was walking to a friend’s band practice in Lahti he chose a shortcut through the industrial area of Sopenkorpi where he found an overgrown industrial track and plot The Lahti Pelicans is a Finnish professional ice hockey team that plays for the City of Lahti Finland’s top professional ice hockey league Emmi Valli-Forsback from Lahti buys almost all of her family’s clothing and household goods second-hand; and rents a market stall to sell on what she no longer needs She rarely considers buying something new if she can find it second-hand Bee doctor Kamran Fakhimzadeh knows what a miracle honey is: to produce a kilo of it bees have to visit up to ten million flowers bees do us a huge favour by pollinating vegetables and fruit and berry plants Rikka-Liisa Aalto has always picked up litter in her local area she started picking up litter almost every day The Puhdas Päijät-Häme network was born out of a desire to make a connection with other people who care about the environment in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Sibelius Hall the Lahti Symphony Orchestra initiated a project to help the City of Lahti reach its carbon emission reduction goals Fashion designer and entrepreneur Riikka Flink has been observing the clothing industry for over 30 years and responsibility are possible when production is closely monitored stood at the forefront of sustainability as the European Green Capital The city set new standards in clean energy Nobia has following customary negotiations with the local union decided to transfer the production of its Novart kitchen range for the Finnish market from Nastola to Nobia’s manufacturing facility in Ølgod and consequently close the factory in Nastola The transfer will involve a one-time cost of approximately Euro 6 million which will be recognized in Nobia’s Q2 2025 results The transfer to Ølgod is expected to be completed during 2025 and generate annual efficiencies of approximately Euro 4 million “While maintaining a Nordic-based production footprint this move is aimed at strengthening Nobia’s long-term presence and competitiveness in the Finnish kitchen market The relocation leverages economies of scale and other advantages provided by Nobia’s Nordic supply chain network including an improved product portfolio,” says Kristoffer Ljungfelt Republication of Lesprom Network content is prohibited without the prior written consent of Lesprom Network General Terms and Conditions and Privacy policy English is chosen as the language of the page The Nastola and Kivimaa swimming halls will feature the Wibit course on two Sundays at the beginning and end of the winter break The Wibit course will be at the Nastola swimming pool on Sunday and at the Kivimaa swimming pool on Sunday The diving tower at Lahti Swimming Hall will be open from Sunday Vipukulma Skatepark skate hall on Vipusenkatu will have open doors on Monday rental boards and protective gear will be freely available Guidance and instruction in skateboarding will also be offered to anyone interested The event is organized in collaboration with Liikkuva Lahti Lahti City Museums offer activities for visitors of all ages those under 18 have free admission to Lahti City Museums exhibitions and Lahti Museum of Visual Arts Malva art workshops Adults can participate in art workshops with an exhibition ticket Workshop activities are suitable for everyone and require no prior experience It is worth exploring Malva’s engaging and diverse winter break program from Feb 22nd to Mar 1st This exhibition presents the story of snow and invites people of all ages to enjoy the atmosphere The Ski Museum offers winter sports experiences in any weather In the museum’s ski jumping simulator you can experience what it feels like to jump from “Lahti concrete.” or weather forecast in the Chromakey studio you can watch and listen to the audience’s favourite programs from past years You can learn about the history of media and Lahti’s radio masts by touring the exhibitions Lahti Historical Museum opens windows into the history of everyday life from the Ice Age to the present day Historical figures guide you through the everyday life and phenomena of different eras Youth centres across the city organize plenty of open activities and things to do for Lahti youth enjoying their winter break In addition to open activities, young people involved in the activities take trips and camp with their youth centre. More information is available on the youth services website at lahti.fi/nuorisopalvelut/lomatoiminta Lahti libraries are open and serve as usual A wide range of diverse and inspiring activities is available for all ages or conjure lightness in the middle of winter with folk dance you can play console games in the game room or listen to concerts in the music department’s TV room Winter break week event tips at the library include a story time for children over 3 years old at the main library where you can “Search for Treasure” starting at 10:30 AM on Tuesday At the main library’s music department the Luomu duo concert is offered for young people and adults at 6 PM on Wednesday there is an opportunity to participate in folk dance instruction open to everyone HarrasteLahti.fi website also provides more information about the holiday week and other hobby activities for children and young people Lahti.fi is the official online service of the City of Lahti The City of Lahti owns the copyright to the texts and images on the website Unauthorised use of the materials is prohibited ​The City accepts no responsibility for any false information on the website or damage costs or inconveniences caused by downtime The site also contains links to other online services The City of Lahti accepts no responsibility for the validity of the information provided by external service providers '+n.escapeExpression("function"==typeof(o=null!=(o=r(e,"eyebrowText")||(null!=l?r(l,"eyebrowText"):l))?o:n.hooks.helperMissing)?o.call(null!=l?l:n.nullContext||{},{name:"eyebrowText",hash:{},data:t,loc:{start:{line:28,column:63},end:{line:28,column:78}}}):o)+" \n '+(null!=(o=c(e,"if").call(r,null!=l?c(l,"cta2PreText"):l,{name:"if",hash:{},fn:n.program(32,t,0),inverse:n.noop,data:t,loc:{start:{line:63,column:20},end:{line:63,column:61}}}))?o:"")+"\n"+(null!=(o=(c(e,"ifAll")||l&&c(l,"ifAll")||n.hooks.helperMissing).call(r,null!=l?c(l,"cta2Text"):l,null!=l?c(l,"cta2Link"):l,{name:"ifAll",hash:{},fn:n.program(34,t,0),inverse:n.noop,data:t,loc:{start:{line:64,column:20},end:{line:70,column:30}}}))?o:"")+" we caught up with Bottas in Austin to hear more about his favorite destination to race at his routine when he returns to his hometown and the best coffee shops he’s found on the road Bottas at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in 2022 Where’s the first place you go in Finland when you land In my hometown, I have a lake house where I grew up. It's a one-hour drive from Helsinki airport I have a sauna and then I go and have a barbecue with my family What is something people would be surprised to learn about Finland The air quality is great and Finland is still covered 70% by forests and has over 160,000 lakes How was the experience transitioning to Alfa Romeo Sauber after a significant part of your career with Mercedes I've jumped into a smaller team with different goals but more long-term goals for the future—I take it as a project as we will not get close to the top in the years to come since the team finished ninth place in the last couple of years—there's lots to improve seeing progress and getting points is really rewarding when we work as a team together It's quite a different role for me within the team I have more authority and responsibility which I really enjoy Do you have a favorite coffee shop in Austin What has been your favorite destination to race in What are you most looking forward to with Las Vegas being added to the F1 calendar next year? I think it's just going to be amazing. I think racing down the strip visually is going to be really cool with all the lights—and I think everyone wants to be there. I think it's gonna be pretty packed. What I like about the U.S. events, it feels like in the U.S., you know, the organizers, they can really entertain the people well. It's more than an F1 race weekend, it’s also like a party weekend. What are your top tips for combating jet lag? up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse We understand that time is the greatest luxury which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world FinlandPodcastF1 EXPLAINS: When F1 drivers move teams – with Valtteri Bottas and Jenson Button DRIVER MARKET: Who could get a seat on the 2026 grid with F1’s newest team Cadillac TEAM PREVIEW: The post-Hamilton era has arrived – 2025 is the start of Mercedes' new chapter Bottas pinpoints area he can 'definitely help' Mercedes after heading back to team Learning his craft on Finnish roads of ice and snow Bottas explains that if you can drive on the frozen roads of his homeland then you can drive anywhere Then there’s the Finnish mentality –reserved diligent and calm the fast lane of F1 doesn’t faze him Points and podiums followed with the reliable racer even amassing the most points without a win a record he resented but that showcased his ability The fact the Finn was such a points machine saw him suddenly promoted to the most coveted seat in F1 - Nico Rosberg’s vacant championship-winning seat at Mercedes Bottas blossomed at the Silver Arrows in 2017 unleashing his pace to clock up personal pole positions and victories as well as a team championship for the famous Mercedes marque alongside Lewis Hamilton He even tied with Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel with 13 podiums it brought a confidence boost and a new swagger – albeit in a very demur Finnish fashion He would need all that confidence in 2018 – a season Bottas described as his worst in F1 was a reflection more of his team mate’s brilliance than of any shortcomings on his own part four victories securing a convincing second in the championship behind Hamilton but that dropped to two wins to his team mate's 11 in 2020 and then just one in 2021 prompting Mercedes to drop him after five seasons In 2022 he started a new chapter in his F1 career replacing compatriot Kimi Raikkonen to lead an all-new line-up at Alfa Romeo and taking Chinese rookie Zhou Guanyu under his wing © 2003-2025 Formula One World Championship Limited With Nico Rosberg having sensationally quit Formula One just five days following his maiden title success stunned reigning constructors' champions Mercedes quickly identified highly-rated Williams star Valtteri Bottas as an ideal new teammate/adversary for their relentlessly competitive three-time world champion Lewis Hamilton Family: Married Emilia Pikkarainen in September 2016 Twitter: @ValtteriBottas Instagram: valtteribottas Facebook: Valtteri Bottas Hailing from the small southern Finnish town of Nastola Bottas discovered go karting by chance during a childhood trip to the neighbouring city of Lahti went on to amass a wealth of domestic and European championships A particular turning point for Bottas came after his first season in Finland's official karting championship when having become accustomed to tasting victory throughout the previous six years he found the going much tougher and only managed to finish fifth overall he wisely decided to double down on his ambitions and take a more professional approach to racing by losing weight and building fitness Such a change served not only to help achieve further success but also to convince a 12-year-old Bottas that racing was not only an enjoyable hobby but a realistic profession in which he could thrive he later impressed in Formula Renault 2.0 and Formula Three Euro Series before combining his role as a fledgling test driver for Williams with a GP3 Series triumph That F1 ambition was finally realised in 2012 after some eye-catching performances in 15 Friday practice sessions as a reserve driver Bottas succeeded Bruno Senna - nephew of the legendary Ayrton - as Pastor Maldonado's new partner There were significant expectations attached from the outset with founder and team principal Sir Frank Williams describing him as "simply one of the most talented young racing drivers I have come across" Bottas' high-profile management team previously consisted of Toto Wolff two-time world champion Hakkinen and Didier Coton the Mercedes chief ended that association in January and stated that "it would be a conflict of interest to be involved in the management of a driver and equally being his boss and running the team" by swapping Williams for the dominant Silver Arrows Bottas stood to see his annual wage rise from €3m (£2.5m) to €8m (£6.9m He dismissed such suggestions as mere speculation "I don't know where those numbers come from and I don't like talking about it," he said For those of you who like your measurements to be imperial Bottas wed long-term girlfriend Emilia Pikkarainen in Helsinki in 2016 Emilia is a swimmer who has represented Finland at three successive Olympic Games in Beijing She holds four national records and won bronze in the women's 4x100m medley relay race at the 2016 European Aquatics Championships Her medal cabinet also includes 4x50m freestyle bronze and silver earned at the European Short Course Swimming Championships in 2010 and 2012 Vittoria claims its new Corsa Speed tubeless-ready open tubular tire is the fastest in the world supposedly posting the lowest rolling resistance figures ever recorded by the folks at Wheel Energy in Nastola The Corsa Speeds absolutely feel super fast on the road even when ridden back to back with typically good competitors But when Vittoria says that these should be reserved for time trials and other race day applications The Corsa Speed is built with a 320TPI cotton casing and tubeless-compatible beads in open tubular fashion – meaning the tread cap is glued on separately as opposed to a vulcanized tire where liquid rubber is injected into a mold and the whole thing cures all together the result is less rubber mixed in with the cords and a noticeably more flexible casing That suppleness yields lower rolling resistance plus a generally smoother ride – all other things being held equal Related: Vittoria bets heavy on graphene for 2016 tyre range The soft and flexible open tubular construction is just one piece of the puzzle the other major component to the Corsa Speed’s exceptional lab test results is the graphene-infused rubber tread material which the company says absorbs less energy than conventional compounds while still providing improved grip and wear Vittoria even claims that the stuff gives the tire high-rebound characteristics under low load (meaning a faster roll when just cruising along) but lets the material soften under stress for better cornering grip – heady claims but Vittoria says the graphene-infused rubber compound is also a key to the ultra-low rolling resistance the Corsa Speed is tangibly fast on the road with an ultra-efficient roll that not only gobbles up pavement but does so with incredible comfort They’re also impressively grippy and with an actual weight of just 215g in the sole 700x23mm size (plus 35g per tire for the requisite sealant) the Corsa Speeds are even some of the lightest options around the Corsa Speed is easily one of the best clinchers I’ve ever used That performance does come with a heavy price in terms of durability That super supple cotton casing has no additional reinforcement to guard against punctures and that fancy graphene-infused tread cap is literally paper-thin there just isn’t that much material there to start with Vittoria hardly pitches the Corsa Speed as a viable everyday option suggesting that they should only be used for time trials I’d say that warning is justified given that it didn’t take long for a sliver of glass to go through the rear tire Later inspection revealed plenty of other little shards embedded elsewhere circling like buzzards waiting for a window of opportunity and there's no casing reinforcement whatsoever so you'll want to heed Vittoria's warning to only use these for time trials the NoTubes sealant I used inside did plug up the hole such that all I had to do was reinflate the tire to my preferred operating pressure and carry on To further test the real-world sealing capabilities I didn’t even remove the offending sliver and the tire was still holding air several days later and ready to ride the Corsa Speeds don’t carry any of the hassles sometimes associated with tubeless road tires They aren’t any more difficult to install than other open tubulars I’ve ridden and they also initially inflate and seal easily with a standard floor pump I’d say these are fantastic in terms of performance but you should take that with a big grain of salt Their speed may tempt you to use them to break that stubborn Strava segment time but keep in mind that a fast tire that’s also flat ultimately isn’t going to help much HELSINKI FINLAND JUser: :_load: Unable to load user with ID: 58 It is impossible not to notice the shiny steel façade of the 12-storey building erected in the middle of a rural landscape in the outskirts of Lahti as the headquarters of the clothing manufacturer L-Fashion Group has already outstripped Marimekko in net sales and yet only few Finns are aware of its local origin The success story is particularly unusual in light of the persistent troubles of the Finnish clothing and textiles industry Icepeak clothes are available at over 1,000 stores in Germany and over 15 dedicated stores in China CEO Vesa Luhtanen expects the growth to continue “We launched a special line specifically for the Asian market for the first time this autumn,” he reveals When the designs for the first line of Icepeak clothes were drawn up in 1996 outlook for the traditional company was bleak The history of L-Fashion Group dates back all the way to 1907 when Vihtori Luhtanen began to manufacture clothes in Lahti under the brand Luhta The company gained worldwide recognition in the 1970s Nastola and Hamina cranked out clothing items worth millions of markkas for export As manufacturing activities increased in the Far East in the 1990s consumers began to shun the higher price tags of clothes manufactured in Finland L-Fashion Group launched Icepeak as its line of fashionable yet affordable sport and leisure clothes The materials used for sportswear advanced rapidly in the 1990s Both competition and investments in product development increased as the main patent for the water-proof and breathable Gore-Tex fabric expired such as fabrics that are water resistant or absorb sweat from the body “We were part of the product trend,” Luhtanen says A key decision for L-Fashion Group was to re-locate its manufacturing operations to the Far East after a couple of unsuccessful trials in Russia “We had problems with the reliability of logistics the goods were stopped at customs and sometimes when they came back,” tells Luhtanen Clothing retailers do not tolerate any delays because seasons may not last more than a few weeks L-Fashion Group turned its attention to Asia and ultimately found suitable manufacturing partners in China Demand for the clothes designed in Lahti and manufactured in China began to grow boosting the net sales of L-Fashion Group to roughly ten euros in 2003 it was considered an exceptionally good result,” recalls Luhtanen The net sales of Icepeak have grown ten-fold to 110 million euros in the matter of 10 years and currently as much as 86 per cent of the sales are derived from abroad Icepeak is already challenging its key rivals the [market] share of Icepeak is a couple of per cent we're about to […] [grow] from a small to a mid-size brand,” highlights Luhtanen is a right mixture of sales and product development “We're hardly a storytelling company,” he says Juhani Saarinen – HSAleksi Teivainen – HT© HELSINGIN SANOMATPhoto: Lauri Rotko Advertisement inquiries and other after-sales issues: info@helsinkitimes.fi Helsinki Times is the first and only English language newspaper providing news about Finland in English A weekly print edition of Helsinki Times was published from March 2007 up until Feb Helsinki Times is an online-only publication and other groups and individuals interested in Finland from all around the world © Helsinki Times All rights reserved.  Terms of Use | Privacy Policy Nastolan seisakkeen ohelle kaksi uutta henkilöasemaa saatiin kuntaan Pietarinradan kunnostuksen kylkiäisinä Avaa kuvien katseluUudenkylän asemalla odotetaan jo matkustajia Kuva: YLE/ Tuija Veirto15.11.2010 13:34•Päivitetty 11.4.2012 6:19Nastolan uudet henkilöasemat Uudessakylässä ja Villähteellä valmistuvat parin viikon sisällä ja ne otetaan käyttöön 12 Samana päivänä käynnistyy nopea junaliikenne Helsingin ja Pietarin välillä Metropolialueet yhdistävä Pietarinrata kulkee Nastolan läpi 21 kilometrin matkalta Uudet asemat valmistuivat radan kunnostuksen kylkiäisinä Vaikka Allegro ja muut pikajunat pyyhkäisevät läpi Nastolan nauhataajaman pysähtymättä kunnassa on nyt kolme pysäkkiä taajamajunille kirkonkylällä Markku Meriluoto Topparoikka ry:stä on tyytyväinen että henkilöliikenne alkaa Uudessakylässä kuuden ja Villähteellä yli neljänkymmenen vuoden tauon jälkeen - Nastolan pysäkki on käyttökelvoton ja se voitaisiin nyt lakkauttaa Vastustin seisakkeen perustamista vuonna 2005 ja sen myötä Uudenkylän henkilöliikenteen sulkemista Meriluodon mielestä parkkipaikka- ja liitäntäjärjestelyissä on Uudessakylässä vielä parantamisen varaa että Uudenkylän pysäkillä on hyvät mahdollisuudet kohota matkustajamäärissä Kouvola-Riihimäki-rataosuuden henkilöasemien kärkikaartin ja kerätä junankäyttäjiä myös kunnan ulkopuolelta - Käyttäjäyhteydet muun muassa Vuolenkoskelta Kuivannolta ovat olleet merkittäviä vanhan aseman aikaan ja ovat sitä varmasti jatkossakin Ajoneuvolla ei asemalle nyt pääse ja matka on mutkikas Tämä saattaa verottaa matkustajamääriä alkuunsa Meriluodon arvion mukaan Uusikylä kerää vuodessa 22 000 ja Villähde 17 000 matkustajaa - Nastolan seisake jää näistä sitten vähän vähemmälle Valtteri Bottas is a Finnish racing driver who has a net worth of $20 million He competes in the Formula One World Championship for the Mercedes team Bottas previously competed on the FRUK Winter Series in 2007 the Formula 3 Euro Series from 2009 to 2010 Bottas first entered the 2013 Australian Grand Prix and won the 2017 Australian Grand Prix and two pole positions for the Formula One World Championship series Bottas drove for Williams from 2013 to 2016 Since switching to Mercedes he reached his first Formula Ole pole position at the 2017 Bahrain Grand Prix and his first victory at the 2017 Russian Grand Prix In 2008 he won the Formula Renault Eurocup and Formula Renault 2.0 NEC championship titles and in 2011 he won the GP3 Series © 2025 Celebrity Net Worth / All Rights Reserved