F1
Sauber Sees Hope Despite Point-Less Finish at Italian GP: Bottas and Zhou Aim for F1 Redemption Amidst Roster Shake-Up
Sauber sees "positive indications" yet Valtteri Bottas remains without any points
Sauber's team leader maintains there are grounds for hope
Sauber is confident they have reduced the distance to their closest competitors even though they have yet to earn a point at the F1 Italian Grand Prix.
Valtteri Bottas secured the 16th position at Monza, finishing two spots in front of his teammate Guanyu Zhou.
Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu, and Logan Sargeant—who no longer holds a position with Williams—are the only Formula 1 drivers in the 2024 season who have yet to score a point. Additionally, Sauber is the sole team without any points.
Sauber's drivers started from the rear of the grid, leading the team to equip Bottas with hard tires to maximize his initial stint, but their strategy didn't yield significant results.
Nevertheless, team spokesperson Alessandro Alunni Bravi remains hopeful.
He stated that, despite the final standings appearing similar to past races, there were encouraging aspects in the team's performance.
"Each driver successfully handled their hard and medium tires, which enabled us to stick to our pre-race strategy while keeping tire wear in check."
“While it’s still insufficient to compete for points due to our overall speed, the low-drag package introduced at Monza along with adjustments made for qualifying have enhanced the car’s balance, providing Valtteri and Zhou an opportunity to contend.”
"We are not yet in a position to compete for points, but it's crucial to recognize that we've made progress today by narrowing the gap with our main rivals – this is an encouraging development that should be highlighted."
Bottas shared his thoughts on the race, saying, "It was a straightforward and smooth race for us. We opted for a one-stop strategy, beginning with the hard tires, in an attempt to try something different and possibly benefit from the timing of a Safety Car if it appeared."
“Regrettably, it didn’t go as planned for us, but I believe it was beneficial to attempt it.”
Reflecting on the events of the race, there’s nothing I would change: we managed to move up a few spots on the track, achieving P16 through our own efforts, but that was honestly the best outcome we could have hoped for.
"We haven't significantly improved our speed. Although our weekend began positively, we struggled to maintain that momentum and make further advancements. Nonetheless, this weekend has been better than our experience at Zandvoort. There's a lot of work ahead to take the next step forward, and we'll be focusing on that as we prepare for the upcoming back-to-back events in Baku and Singapore."
Zhou mentioned that their speed today wasn't sufficient to compete near the points, particularly in a race that was straightforward and free of any major incidents or surprises.
"Although our speed was noticeably better than it was last weekend in Zandvoort, we are still trailing behind our main rivals in terms of performance."
"Over the weekend, we've noticed some progress in our one-lap speed. However, it's evident that to achieve the best outcome, we need to fine-tune the car's optimal performance and carry out a perfect weekend."
"Instead of depending on luck, our team is dedicated to keeping our heads down and diligently working to gain those essential tenths of a second that will move us nearer to the top ten."
Sauber is set to transform into Audi next year, though they will keep their existing identity for now.
Nico Hulkenberg has secured a contract with Haas for the 2025 season, putting pressure on Bottas and Zhou as they fight to keep their places in Formula 1.
The only teams with open driver positions for the next season are Sauber and Red Bull.
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