After the Barcelona coup: Sauber is excited about Zhou

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In 2023 it will be increasingly difficult for the small teams to gain championship points. If Red Bull, Mercedes, Aston Martin, Alpine and Ferrari score full points, there will be nothing left. But a sensational race by Guanyu Zhou (24) opened the narrow door for the Chinese in Barcelona: 9th place and two points.

“It was hard work. I was fighting almost every lap,” Zhou laughed after his 29th Grand Prix. Until now, he has mainly been haunted by bad luck and technical defects. Zhou, ninth this year in Melbourne: “You must never lose confidence!” And he has proven several times that he is just as fast as team leader Valtteri Bottas (33).

“Zhou is still in the learning phase”

The living mascot Peter Sauber (79) had the most joy in Camp Hinwil. The former team owner on Blick: “From 13th on the grid, Zhou was immediately on his way to the points. The good tire strategy also fitted in with that. This was an incredibly important result for confidence. Because the fresh talent is still in the learning phase. Zhou has developed wonderfully – and certainly not in a top car!”

On Sunday, the Chinese really took the wheel with both hands and fought for his life. Featuring Haas Ferrari and Alpha Tauri Honda. In the end he still had to take care of Gasly in the Alpine.

Asian dispute on the job

The Chinese, initially greeted with much skepticism by fans in 2022, reached his peak in the 56th round when an Asian brawl broke out between him and Tsunoda.

Tsunoda (already super strong in Monaco until the brake problems) pushed his rival off the track. Zhou complained – and two minutes later the FIA ​​verdict was there: a five-second time penalty.

Tsunoda recovered from 9 to 12

Now all Zhou had to do was drive to the finish behind the Alpha Tauri, losing no more than five seconds and at the same time watch out for Gasly behind him, who was being pressured by Leclerc in the Ferrari.

At the finish, Tsunoda dropped from 9th to 12th. The penalty for going too fast. But Alpha Tauri remains dangerous in the battle for seventh place in the World Cup, even with only two points. Haas-Ferrari and Alfa-Sauber have eight points.

Sauber wants to be there two more times in 2023

A year ago, Peter Sauber brought Botta luck here in Spain – with a 6th place! This time the Finn disappeared penultimate in the lowlands of the result.

And when will the Sauber mascot return to the track in 2023? «In Monza and Abu Dhabi!»

Source : Blick