The continuity continues at Alfa Romeo into 2024 as Valtteri Bottas and Zhou remain at the Swiss-based team.
Photo credit: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake
The Finn and Chinese drivers have been with the team since 2022. They both signed following the retirement of Kimi Räikkönen and the departure of Antonio Giovinazzi at the end of 2021.
It was a very strong start to life at Alfa for Bottas as he bagged 46 of his 49 points last year in the first 9 rounds. Since then, however, things have been much tougher.
For Zhou Guanyu, it’s been the opposite. Although he scored a point on debut in Bahrain, he generally struggled early on in his rookie season. But since the middle of 2022, he has made big step forwards and really put pressure on his teammate. A brilliant P5 in qualifying at Hungary earlier this year demonstrated that.
Concerns were raised a few weeks ago that the Chinese driver wouldn’t be on the grid next year due to financial problems. That has been all sorted, though.
As the pace of the car fell away throughout 2022, the team has been unable to make gains this year. Following a P6 finish in the Constructors’ Championship last year, they’re only P9 at present on a lowly 10 points.
F2 championship leader and Sauber Academy driver Theo Pourchaire is going to be the team’s reserve driver.
Valtteri Bottas: “I have a feeling we have an exciting journey ahead of us, so I am happy and grateful to be able to look forward to 2024 knowing how the team is shaping up. There is a good atmosphere within our squad, I get along with Zhou and we both push each other hard to improve. There is an impressive amount of work going on behind the scenes, in Hinwil and beyond, and now that the line-up is set for next year, we can focus fully on improving, starting this weekend in Singapore already. Every step forward we make is a step forward for this year and next, so we are motivated to give everything we have every time we’re trackside or at the factory.”
Zhou Guanyu: “Signing again with the team is always a great feeling, especially when we know how things are shaping up. I am proud to be part of Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake and grateful for their trust: I have been working extremely hard since day one and there is an incredible level of motivation to keep doing so every day forward. My relationship with Valtteri is really good, and we are working closely together and with the team to push everyone forward. I am also very excited about the opportunity to finally race with my team in China, in front of my home crowd. It will be a great moment and I’m proud to be able to share it with all those who have supported me.”
Theo Pourchaire: “Over the years, the team has become a family to me and, therefore, I am really happy and grateful to continue my journey with Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake and the Sauber Academy. The support I have received from everyone in the team has been outstanding, and I’m proud to be able to contribute to the growth of the whole operation. I have a lot in me I can give to this special group of people and I’m looking forward to the future. Of course, a great way to say thank you would be to finish the job in F2 in Abu Dhabi – I’ll give everything to bring it home for the team.”
