Alfa Romeo suffered another disappointing weekend in Zandvoort, failing to score points and showing mediocre pace. Bottas has previously mentioned the importance of upgrades for the C43, and the Finn re-iterated the need for progress on Sunday.
The Swiss-based team has failed to score points since the Canadian GP, unable to progress from 9th in the standings. Considering their performance at the start of 2022, the trajectory at Hinwil is cause for concern.
Aside from a fantastic qualifying in Bahrain, Alfa Romeo languishes in a midfield which (with Aston Martin and McLaren’s progress) has increasingly limited options for top 10 finishes.
Investment from Audi should increase the team’s ceiling – but for the foreseeable future, substantial changes are needed.
Valtteri Bottas gave a review of his chaotic afternoon in Zandvoort:
“We had a really good start, making up a lot of positions. When the rain came, we kept it on track, which was not easy in such challenging conditions.
“The grip out there was very poor and visibility limited, which on such a technical track makes driving even harder.
“In the end, we just did not have the pace to be in the points, especially in regular circumstances.
“We need to understand what went on and improve on it. I know everyone is working hard for it.
“Next up is Monza: it’s an important race for us, on a completely different track, and we can surely do better than this.
“There will be a lot of people from our factory on the stands, and we’re looking forward to all the support.”
Next year’s cars will be a continuation of this year, so the team’s current stagnation does not bode well for 2024.
As they look to match the personnel and expenditure of increasingly competitive rivals, Alfa Romeo finds itself in a battle for lesser points.
Author: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
