Sauber Sees Positive Signs Despite Point-less Finish at Monza: Bottas and Zhou Face Uncertain Future

Sauber identifies “positive indication,” but Valtteri Bottas yet to score points

Sauber chief maintains there is cause for hope

Sauber is confident they've narrowed the distance to their closest competitors, even though they have yet to earn any points at the F1 Italian Grand Prix.

Valtteri Bottas secured the 16th position at Monza, outpacing his teammate Guanyu Zhou by two spots.

Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu, and Logan Sargeant (who has recently been dropped from his position at Williams) are the only Formula 1 drivers in 2024 who have not scored any points. Additionally, Sauber is the only team yet to earn a point.

Sauber's drivers started from the rear of the grid, leading the team to equip Bottas with hard tires and have him run an extended initial stint. However, these strategies did not yield significant results.

Nevertheless, team spokesperson Alessandro Alunni Bravi maintains there is a sense of hope.

He stated that, despite the final standings appearing similar to previous races, there were encouraging aspects in the team's performance.

"Each driver successfully managed their hard and medium tyres, enabling us to stick to our pre-race strategy and keep tyre wear in check."

"Certainly, this isn't sufficient to compete for points yet because our overall speed is lacking. However, the low-drag package we introduced at Monza, along with the adjustments made to the setup for qualifying, enhanced the car's balance and provided Valtteri and Zhou an opportunity to contend."

"We are not yet in a position to compete for points, but it's worth noting that the difference between us and our main rivals has decreased. This is a positive development that should be highlighted."

Bottas commented on the race, stating, "It was a straightforward and calm race for us. We opted for a one-stop strategy, beginning with the hard tires, as we aimed to try a different approach and hoped for a favorable Safety Car timing."

“Regrettably, things didn’t go as planned for us, but I believe it was worthwhile to make the attempt.”

Reflecting on the progress of the race, I have no regrets about our strategy: we managed to overtake some competitors and secured the 16th position through our efforts, but realistically, that was the best outcome we could achieve.

"Our speed hasn't significantly improved. Although our weekend began positively, we couldn’t maintain that momentum or make substantial gains. However, it was certainly a better performance than at Zandvoort. We have a lot to do to make further progress, and we'll focus on this as we prepare for the upcoming consecutive races in Baku and Singapore."

Zhou commented: “Our speed today wasn’t sufficient to compete for points, particularly in a race that was smooth and free of interruptions or major surprises.”

"Although our speed has noticeably improved since last weekend in Zandvoort, we are still lagging behind our main rivals in terms of performance."

Over the weekend, there has been some progress in our single-lap speed. However, it's evident that we must identify the car's optimal performance zone and deliver a perfect performance throughout the weekend to achieve the best outcome.

"Our strategy doesn't depend on luck; instead, we're committed to diligent work and relentless effort to shave off those vital fractions of a second that can propel us into the top ten."

Sauber is set to progress into Audi next year, although they will keep their existing identity.

Nico Hulkenberg has secured a contract with Haas for the 2025 season, putting pressure on Bottas and Zhou as they fight to remain in Formula 1.

The only two teams with open driver positions for the next season are Sauber and Red Bull.

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