Alfa Romeo have introduced that each Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu will stay with the workforce for the 2024 F1 season.
The pair, who’ve labored collectively at Alfa for the reason that begin of the 2022 marketing campaign, will work collectively for a 3rd consecutive season, the workforce confirmed on Thursday.
Bottas has a cope with the workforce till 2025 – signed upon his arrival from Mercedes on the finish of 2021 – whereas aggressive team-mate Zhou has signed a one-year extension.
Alfa additionally confirmed that Theo Pourchaire, who’s on the cusp of successful this 12 months’s Formula 2 title, might be their reserve driver as soon as once more. It might be Bottas’ twelfth straight season in Formula 1 whereas Zhou, the primary Chinese driver within the sport, will race at his house grand prix for the primary time when the Chinese Grand Prix returns to the calendar in April.
“Signing again with the team is always a great feeling, especially when we know how things are shaping up,” Zhou stated.
“I am proud to be part of Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake and grateful for their trust: I have been working extremely hard since day one and there is an incredible level of motivation to keep doing so every day forward.
“My relationship with Valtteri is really good, and we are working closely together and with the team to push everyone forward. I am also very excited about the opportunity to finally race with my team in China, in front of my home crowd.
“It will be a great moment and I’m proud to be able to share it with all those who have supported me.”
The Sauber-works workforce are being taken over by German large Audi for the 2026 season when new laws come into drive.
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Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu will as soon as once more race for Alfa Romeo in 2024
(Getty Images)
Bottass added: “I have a feeling we have an exciting journey ahead of us, so I am happy and grateful to be able to look forward to 2024 knowing how the team is shaping up.
“There is a good atmosphere within our squad, I get along with Zhou and we both push each other hard to improve. There is an impressive amount of work going on behind the scenes, in Hinwil and beyond, and now that the line-up is set for next year, we can focus fully on improving, starting this weekend in Singapore already.
“Every step forward we make is a step forward for this year and next, so we are motivated to give everything we have every time we’re trackside or at the factory.”
Alfa have struggled for automobile efficiency to this point this season and have solely amassed 10 factors after the primary 14 races of the season. Bottas has six factors, whereas Zhou has 4.
They presently lie ninth within the Constructors’ Standings, with solely AlphaTauri beneath them.
