Sauber’s Optimism Grows Despite Point-less Finish: Bottas and Zhou Eye Improvements Ahead

Sauber Sees "Positive Indicator" Despite Valtteri Bottas Being Without Points

Sauber Chief Asserts Optimism is Justified

Sauber is confident that they have narrowed the distance to their closest competitors, even though they have yet to earn any points at the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix.

Valtteri Bottas secured the 16th position at the Monza race, outperforming his teammate Guanyu Zhou who finished two spots behind him.

Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu, and Logan Sargeant (who no longer has his position with Williams) are the sole Formula 1 drivers in 2024 who haven't earned any points, with Sauber being the only team in the same situation.

Sauber's drivers started from the rear of the grid, prompting the team to equip Bottas with hard tires for an extended initial stint. Despite these strategies, the team's attempts were mostly unsuccessful.

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

He stated that despite the final standings appearing similar to earlier races, the team's performance showed some encouraging signs.

"Each driver effectively handled their hard and medium tires, which enabled us to stick to our pre-race strategy while keeping wear and tear in check."

"Although it remains insufficient to compete for points due to our general lack of speed, the low-drag package introduced at Monza, along with the adjustments made for qualifying, enhanced the car's balance, providing Valtteri and Zhou with an opportunity to compete."

"We have a significant road to travel before we can compete for points, but it's crucial to recognize that we've made progress in closing the gap with our main rivals – this is a positive development worth highlighting."

Bottas commented on the race, saying it was smooth and uneventful for his team. They 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.

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

Reflecting on the way the race played out, I wouldn't change any of my actions. We managed to overtake a few competitors, securing 16th place based on our performance, but that was truly the best we could achieve.

"Our speed hasn't significantly improved. Although our weekend began positively, we struggled to maintain that initial progress and didn't make much advancement. Despite this, it was definitely a better performance than at Zandvoort. We have considerable work to do to make further strides, and we'll focus on this leading up to the consecutive races in Baku and Singapore."

Zhou commented, “Our speed today wasn’t sufficient to compete for points, particularly in a straightforward race without any disruptions or major surprises."

"Although our speed was evidently better than it was at Zandvoort last weekend, we are still lagging behind our main rivals when it comes to 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 range and perform perfectly throughout the weekend to achieve the best outcome.

“Instead of depending on fortune, our team is dedicated to staying focused and working diligently to shave off those vital fractions of a second that will help us edge into the top ten.”

Sauber will transition into Audi next year but will keep their existing identity.

Haas has signed Nico Hulkenberg for the 2025 season, putting Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu in a position where they must compete fiercely to keep their spots in Formula 1.

Sauber and Red Bull are the only teams with open driver spots for the next season.

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