F1
Sauber Sees Silver Lining Despite Point-less Streak: Bottas and Zhou Show Signs of Improvement at Monza
Clean team sees “positive indication” though Valtteri Bottas remains without points
Clean team leader maintains there’s cause for hope
Sauber believes they have narrowed 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.
In 2024, the only Formula 1 drivers who haven't scored any points are Bottas, Zhou, and Logan Sargeant (who is no longer with Williams). Additionally, Sauber is the only team yet to earn a point.
Sauber's two drivers started from the rear of the grid, so Bottas was given hard tires and kept on the track for an extended initial stint. However, the team's strategy didn't yield significant results.
Nevertheless, team spokesperson Alessandro Alunni Bravi remains hopeful.
He stated that, despite the final standings appearing similar to earlier races, there were encouraging aspects in the team's performance.
"Both drivers effectively handled their hard and medium tyres, enabling us to stick to our pre-race strategy while keeping wear and tear in check."
“Obviously, we still don’t have the speed needed to compete for points. However, the low-drag package we introduced at Monza and the adjustments we made for qualifying helped improve the car's balance, giving Valtteri and Zhou an opportunity to be more competitive.”
"We are not yet at the stage where we can compete for points, but it is essential to recognize that today we have made progress in closing the gap with our main rivals – this is a positive development that should be highlighted."
Bottas commented on the race, saying, "It was a smooth and straightforward race for us. We opted for a one-stop strategy, beginning with the hard tires, as we aimed to try something different and hoped the timing of a possible Safety Car would work in our favor."
“Sadly, things didn’t go as planned for us, but I believe it was worthwhile to attempt it.”
Reflecting on the race's progression, I wouldn't change any of our actions: we managed to overtake a few competitors and secured 16th place on our own merits, but that was truly the best outcome we could achieve.
"Our speed hasn't significantly improved; although our weekend began positively, we struggled to maintain that progress or see much advancement. Nevertheless, this weekend was certainly better than our experience at Zandvoort. We have plenty of work to do to take another step forward, and that's what we'll focus on as we prepare for the upcoming consecutive races in Baku and Singapore."
Zhou stated: "Our speed today wasn't sufficient to contend for points, particularly in a straightforward race without any disruptions or major surprises."
"Although our speed was notably better than it was last weekend in Zandvoort, we are still lagging behind our main rivals in terms of performance."
Over the weekend, we noticed some progress in our single-lap speed. However, it's evident that we must identify the car's optimal performance and achieve a perfect weekend to secure the best outcome.
Instead of depending on luck, our team is dedicated to working diligently to shave off those critical fractions of a second that will help us break into the top ten.
Sauber is set to further transform into Audi next year while keeping their existing identity.
Nico Hulkenberg has secured a contract with Haas for the 2025 season, putting pressure on Bottas and Zhou to fight for their spots and avoid being removed from Formula 1 entirely.
Sauber and Red Bull are the only two teams with open seats for next season.
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