Stake F1 Eyes Opportunity as Bottas, Zhou Differ on Outlook

Valtteri Bottas stays positive about Mexico’s prospects, while teammate Guanyu Zhou acknowledges the challenges that lie ahead this weekend.

Bottas Concludes Friday Sessions in Mexico in the Top 10, Eyes Positive Outlook and Altitude Advantage for Stake F1

Valtteri Bottas finished both Friday sessions in the top 10 at Mexico, and the Stake F1 driver is hopeful that the conditions and high altitude could play to his team’s advantage, potentially bringing them closer to their rivals.

“I believe today was positive from the first run, as I felt confident in the car. The gaps between cars are incredibly tight, and the thinner air reduces some elements of aerodynamic efficiency,” Bottas remarked.

“This means the cars are naturally closer to each other, which could present an opportunity for us as the weekend progresses. We seem comfortable over a single lap, but we still have work to do on the long runs. Now, we just need to find more performance for tomorrow and see where we stand.”

Guanyu Zhou took over in FP2 after Robert Shwartzman drove in FP1: “Missing FP1 today and jumping straight into the Pirelli testing with the upgraded package wasn’t easy, but even with limited track time, we are in a good position.”

“My best time came early in the session, so there’s room to improve the setup. We are not far off the pace, and with a few balance adjustments, we can definitely enhance our performance. Overall, it’s a step forward, and I’m looking forward to competing in more sessions this weekend.”

Robert Shwartzman’s FP1 programme was cut short by a red flag following a collision between Alex Albon and Oliver Bearman: “Unfortunately, with the red flag, I didn’t get many laps in. Fortunately, both drivers are okay.”

“It was a brief but interesting experience, and I managed to put in some good laps. Sadly, we couldn’t complete our programme, as I only had one fast lap. But I’m happy to be here; it’s a great experience to explore a new circuit. Thanks to Sauber, and I hope to be back in the future!”