Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Alfa Romeo F1 Team and Zhou Guanyu (CHN) Alfa Romeo F1 Team on the FanZone Stage. 07.07.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 11, British Grand Prix, Silverstone, England, Practice Day.
Alfa Romeo Team Representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi has revealed the side plans to retain its current driver line-up in 2024.
Last season Alfa Romeo unveiled a whole new driver pairing, partnering ex-Mercedes race winner Valtteri Bottas alongside rookie Zhou Guanyu, who became the first Chinese driver in Formula 1 history.
The Italian marque took advantage of the overhaul to the technical regulations last year to accumulate 51 points across the opening nine rounds of the campaign.
However, the subsequent slump that saw it only score four points in the remaining 13 rounds has continued into 2023, with Alfa Romeo only accruing nine points to languish ninth in the Constructors’ standings.
While Bottas disclosed recently that the deal he signed midway through 2021 has another year to run, team-mate Zhou’s contract expires at the end of this season.
However, Alunni Bravi says Alfa Romeo intends to retain both drivers for next year.
“Of course, we always said that stability for us is important,” he said.
“We are a team that is in a transformation process, and we try to be as much stable as possible in all areas. Of course, we are looking for improvement and opportunities.
“There will be time after the summer shutdown to sit down with Zhou and look at what will be the best solution for both of us.
“Our target is to keep both drivers in our team next year but, of course, there must be all the elements in place to have a win-win situation.”
Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Alfa Romeo F1 Team C43. 29.07.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 13, Belgian Grand Prix, Spa Francorchamps, Belgium, Sprint Day.
This year will mark the Sauber-owned team’s final season run under the Alfa Romeo moniker ahead of the side’s transition into an Audi works entry for 2026.
But reports have previously emerged that the German automotive giant is lagging behind on its preparations for the new engine regulations, and Audi has since removed the man responsible for announcing the group’s F1 venture: CEO Markus Duesmann.
Alunni Bravi, though, has dismissed there are concerns surrounding the team’s preparations as it builds towards 2026.
“First of all, I’m happy to hear that the Audi project is behind the shadow,” he highlighted.
“We don’t have this kind of information and it’s always difficult from the external people to understand what is the status of development of such an important programme like a new PU manufacturer entering to Formula 1.
“So concerning our programme, the programme is on the right route. We are working hard to develop the team in these next two seasons. We know that there are constraints linked also to the financial regulations but we are with Andreas Seidl (Sauber Group CEO) addressing all our weaknesses and try to seek all the best opportunities in the market to bring quality into our team and to develop our facilities.
“So there is no change for us, nor for Audi. Audi project is based not on a single individual but is a project for all the company that has been, I would say, welcome at any level. And I think that there is no change.
“We work as a team, all together, to be ready for 2026. This doesn’t mean that the challenge is easy. We have such a strong competitor, we need to be really humble and to work on a daily basis at our best because the competition is extremely high for everybody, and especially in the PU manufacturer side, I think that the competition in 2026 will be really, really strong.
“So we just need to be focused on our job and nothing change with the departure of Mr Duesmann.”
Keyword: Alfa Romeo provide update on F1 2024 driver line-up