As the Bahrain GP marks the season’s start, Bottas and Zhou share their excitement and strategic insights for a promising year ahead.
The Stake F1 Team will debut under this identity this weekend, starting Thursday at the Sakhir circuit, during the Bahrain Grand Prix. Valtteri Bottas is eager to return to the tracks and hopes for a strong start to the season.
“I’m really looking forward to racing again; there’s no feeling like it, and no test can ever come close to what you experience in wheel-to-wheel battles,” says the Finn.
“I’m very curious to see where everyone stands come qualifying, we expect the field to be, once again, very tight, and we’re aware that we’ll need to make the most of everything – driving, setups, conditions – to be at the front of our group. We’re confident we’ve done a good job in testing, and now we need to keep improving for this race and all the ones to follow.”
Zhou’s Excitement Peaks for Bahrain Return
Guanyu Zhou, on his part, is thrilled to return to the site of his F1 debut: “It’s finally time to race again, and I’m struggling to contain my excitement. This is what motorsport is all about, and there’s something even more special about the first race of the season, on a beautiful circuit and under the spotlights.”
“I have very fond memories of Bahrain, from my very first F1 race, and it always brings a smile to my face to come back to the grid here. We’re pleased with what we achieved in testing, even if we know this is just the beginning of a long road.”
“We need to keep improving, not just here this weekend, but in all the races ahead of us: if we manage that, we’ll be able to enjoy battling with our competitors. Every session is an opportunity, and we need to make the most of it.”
“We have met all our objectives”
Alessandro Alunni Bravi, the team representative, praises the work done by his team during the three days of testing. He hopes to see the team progress throughout the weekend, and more broadly, during the coming season.
“The start of a new season is always an important moment, full of expectations: it’s the culmination of months of collective efforts from all team members and the first time we have a significant confrontation with our rivals.”
“We’re satisfied with the work accomplished over the winter and during testing: we’ve met all our objectives over the past three days on the track, without major issues, and we feel ready for the first race weekend.”
“I think what we’ve done is a testament to the work of everyone in Hinwil, and our partners at Ferrari, and we’re thankful to all for the relentless efforts put in since the end of last season.”
“We now have a solid base, and everything will depend on what we build on this base. We need to continue progressing, bringing updates that allow us to improve, and maximizing everything we can from each session.”
“We also need to be mindful of the long season ahead: we saw last year that fortunes can fluctuate, development will play a big role in the final standings, and every session, every race weekend, could be the one that offers the best chance to score well.”
Stake F1 Team Debut 2024. Stake F1 Team Debut 2024.
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