The 2024 Components 1 Spanish Grand Prix arrives with 9 of the ten groups having loved a factors end this 12 months.
Sauber, nonetheless, continues to be in search of their first constructive results of the marketing campaign.
Whereas each Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu have proven tempo at occasions this season, the group nonetheless has nothing to point out for his or her efforts over the 2024 F1 marketing campaign. Earlier within the season the group was undone by an issue within the pits, and continued prolonged pit stops turned promise into heartbreak.
Now they arrive on the Spanish Grand Prix, the primary race of an F1 tripleheader, figuring out they want “complete enhancements” but nonetheless “assured” of their means to lastly break by into the factors.
“We return to Europe after a difficult weekend in Montreal, decided to bounce again on the first doable event. The group is united, we perceive that complete enhancements are important throughout all areas, however we stay assured in our means to compete for factors as soon as once more,” described Group Consultant Alessandro Alunni Bravi.
“The tight margins on this sport imply that even the smallest enhancement might be pivotal, notably in qualifying. Enhancing our single-lap efficiency is important to positioning ourselves higher on race day and concentrating on a top-10 end,” continued Alunni Bravi. “Our dedication and exhausting work might be key to turning our season round and everybody, each trackside and again in Hinwil, is able to embrace the problem forward.”
Whereas Bottas has but to safe his first factors of the F1 season, the motive force is coming off his finest athletic results of the 2024 calendar 12 months. The motive force and his accomplice Tiffany Cromwell participated within the FNLD GRVL biking occasion this previous week the duo helped set up.
Bottas captured his first gravel race win, whereas Cromwell secured victory within the girls’s 177 kilometer race
Having tasted success on the bike lately, Bottas is now hoping for extra success on the observe.
“It’s good to be again in Barcelona, a spot that we all know just like the again of our palms. This can be a place that at all times suited me and really feel I might be at my finest right here. It’s a circuit that has no secrets and techniques for the groups: we now have reams of knowledge about it, in each situation and with each variable accounted for therefore, as soon as once more, will probably be the best particulars that may make the distinction, particularly on Saturday,” described Bottas. “Though we haven’t been as robust in the previous few races as we ought to be, we’re assured in our talents. The group has put in large quantities of effort to know our points and enhance our efficiency. It’s a decent subject, however with improved qualifying, we all know we might be again within the combat for factors once more.”
Whereas his teammate will not be coming off comparable athletic success throughout his week away from the observe, Zhou can also be looking forward to a constructive lead to Barcelona.
“I’m excited to be again racing once more, and I’m decided to get again into the combat for factors,” described Zhou. “Sadly, the previous few races didn’t go effectively for me and the group, however we’re decided to bounce again. We’ve used our little break properly to determine points and work exhausting to be aggressive once more.
“I’ve some good recollections of Barcelona – final 12 months’s race was a variety of enjoyable and I introduced residence some factors, too. It’s a observe we all know effectively and that ought to imply there might be no surprises – it’ll be all about final efficiency,” added the Sauber driver. “It’ll be essential for us to begin robust: nailing our setup early into the free follow classes with a number of working to place us in place for qualifying and in the end the race.”
Thus far, the group’s finest outcomes have come prior to now two weeks, when Bottas positioned thirteenth within the Monaco Grand Prix, after which thirteenth once more in Montreal throughout the Canadian Grand Prix. Maybe that momentum — and Bottas’ success in FNLD GRVL — offers the group the increase they should lastly open their account in Barcelona.
