Valtteri Bottas had a difficult start to the current 2024 F1 season. After a promising start at the Chinese GP, his race came to an abrupt end on lap 20. Bottas reported that his engine failed, resulting in the yellow flag being deployed. This unfortunate incident added to a series of disappointing weekends for the Sauber driver.
At turn 11, Valtteri Bottas got out of his car, and race control took some time to decide whether to implement a virtual safety car or a safety car. Despite his strong start, it was disheartening to see him walk away from the scene disappointed.
Sauber currently finds itself near the bottom of the standings heading into the Chinese GP. Both drivers had a better performance in the Sprint compared to their previous outings. However, Bottas’ joy was short-lived as he now faces another forgettable race weekend.
The team has been facing issues with their car, and Bottas fears that his consistently poor performance will affect his prospects in the driver market. His contract with the team is set to expire at the end of this season.
Earlier this season, it was officially announced that Audi will take over Sauber from next year. This has cast a shadow of uncertainty over the future of both the Sauber drivers and Valtteri Bottas, whose contracts with the team end at the conclusion of this season.
Before the Chinese GP, Guanyu Zhou acknowledged the immense pressure he and his teammate are facing. On this matter, he had the following to say.
Audi has already expressed interest in and , further complicating the future of the current Sauber drivers. Sauber has yet to score any points this season, and Bottas and Guanyu will have their next opportunity to do so at the Miami GP next month.
