Xevi Pujolar, the Head of Trackside Engineering at Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake, feels Zhou Guanyu has made a step forward in performance so far during the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season and is now more than a match for his team-mate Valtteri Bottas.
Zhou had some impressive performances during his rookie season in 2022 but scored only six points along the way as Bottas led the team, but the two drivers are more evenly matched in 2023, the Chinese driver scoring his first points of the season last time out in Australia.
And Pujolar says Zhou’s improvements can only help Alfa Romeo as they battle it out amongst the ultra-tight midfield in 2023.
“I think Zhou is raising the game,” Pujolar is quoted as saying by Motorsport.com. “And I would say now they are both quite even,” he said.
“That’s good for us. Qualifying [in Australia] was not ideal, but in the last two qualifying sessions they are close to Q3, both of them and that’s good for the team.”
“He’s more confident. And then working with Valtteri as well and that’s how we can [make steps] with both drivers together. And it gives himself confidence as well.”
It has not been the ideal start to the 2023 season for Alfa Romeo with only two top ten finishes across the opening three races seeing them sitting eighth in the Constructors’ Championship, but Pujolar says that the midfield battle is likely to be intense and extremely close throughout the year.
“It’s clear there are three or four teams clearly ahead of the rest – but then I think from P8 downwards it is very tight,” Pujolar insisted. “Everybody can be grabbing these final points finishes, which is the target.
“We’re not too far away from this. So it’s just the little details that can really make the difference in the midfield.”
