Kick Sauber Faces Tough Reality: Will They Bounce Back After Monaco Misery?
It's been a rough ride for Kick Sauber in the 2024 Formula 1 season, and their latest struggle at the Monaco Grand Prix has left them as the only team yet to score a single point. The streets of Monte Carlo, famed for their glamour and challenges, proved to be an unforgiving battleground for Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, who both found themselves fighting an uphill battle from the back of the grid.
A Weekend to Forget
Starting from positions P17 and P18, Bottas and Zhou had their work cut out for them. Bottas’s race strategy included a pit stop for fresh tires after the restart, aiming to capitalize on fresher rubber to make up some ground. Despite setting some of the fastest laps early on and pulling off a couple of overtakes, Bottas could only manage a 13th place finish, often trapped in a slower-moving chain led by Fernando Alonso.
“We tried to take the opportunities,” Bottas said after the race. “We weren’t so lucky with our starting hard compound because of the red flag, so the guys on the softer compound had an advantage. We tried everything, but being stuck behind Alonso was frustrating. It was slow!”
Monaco's Unique Challenges
Monaco is a unique beast in the F1 calendar, with its narrow streets offering little room for error or overtaking. Bottas hopes that future circuits will treat the team better, but he acknowledges there are fundamental issues that need addressing.
“Qualifying was a significant struggle due to our lack of pace. Understanding this is crucial moving forward,” said Bottas. “Monaco is usually an outlier, so it doesn’t tell the full story of our performance. Nonetheless, there's plenty to learn, especially concerning qualifying.”
Meanwhile, Zhou also had a challenging day, starting with a front-row seat to a heavy crash on Lap 1 involving Sergio Perez, Kevin Magnussen, and Nico Hulkenberg. Zhou managed to escape the wreck unscathed, but a late pit stop scuttled his chances of climbing up the leaderboard, leaving him to finish in 16th place.
Stuck in a Rut?
“It was a pretty sketchy moment seeing that crash up close,” Zhou remarked. “I’m glad everyone was okay. From my side, it was a boring race, honestly. We had a decent strategy, but the red flag put everyone in the same boat, making overtakes nearly impossible. In the end, my tires were shot with 15 laps to go, and we had to pit again.”
Like Bottas, Zhou believes the team has several key areas that need improvement. “Monaco was one of the toughest weekends for us in terms of pace. The race craft has improved, but we’re still lacking pace compared to our rivals. We need to step up and find those missing tenths.”
Looking Forward to Canada
Team Representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi noted the squad’s improved pit stop performance yet recognized the need for ongoing enhancements. “On a positive note, our pit stops were the fastest of the season so far. That shows we can react and improve,” said Alunni Bravi. “However, our primary goal is to improve every aspect to re-enter the fight for points.”
As the F1 circus moves to Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix, the Kick Sauber team will be looking to turn their fortunes around on a more conventional track. Montreal, a circuit known for its mix of speed and technical sections, could offer the perfect opportunity for the team to finally get on the scoreboard.
“Montreal is a different track, more usual,” concluded Zhou. “We need to step up a bit and find more pace. We can do it, but the work starts now.”
Stay tuned to see if Kick Sauber can rise from their Monaco miseries and finally capture those elusive points in Canada.