Formula 1

Bottas takes bigger role in C43 development

Published

4 weeks ago

22/02/2023

Valtteri Bottas has been more involved in the development of the Alfa Romeo Sauber C43 than any other Formula 1 car he has been a part of.

The Finnish driver joined the team for the 2022 season after leaving Mercedes, and alongside rookie Guanyu Zhou, he assumed a leadership role within the organization.

Bottas has been commended for the positive influence he has had on the team, contributing 49 of its 55 points. In addition to his on-track contributions, the 33-year-old has been actively involved off-track, offering technical expertise and feedback throughout the development process.

Bottas has described his experience as “very different” from his previous Formula 1 roles, with more involvement and access to information.

He is motivated by the progress he has seen and is excited about the direction the team is heading.

The future of Bottas’ contract with Sauber remains unclear, but with Audi’s investment, the team is an attractive prospect for any driver interested in leading the team.

Valtteri Bottas is enjoying his expanded role with Alfa Romeo as the team started the 2023 F1 season with a shakedown of their C43 at Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.

Bottas and his teammate, Zhou Guanyu, drove 100 kilometers each as the team conducted essential systems checks before the sole pre-season test in Bahrain.

Bottas had a more active role in the car’s development and was involved in providing feedback on issues related to car balance.

He appreciated the open and collaborative approach of the team, and his contributions helped the team move in the right direction. Bottas humorously claimed that if the car is quick, he designed it, but if it’s slow, he had nothing to do with it.

The pre-season testing for Formula 1 begins on Thursday, with the Bahrain Gran Prix scheduled from March 2-5.

Bottas C43 development Bottas C43 development