Formula 1 Today: Sauber’s Pit-Lane Penalty Hits Bottas and Zhou Ahead of Canadian Grand Prix
In a disappointing turn of events, Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu will both start Sunday’s Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix from the pit lane, following Sauber’s decision to make changes to both cars under Parc Ferme regulations. This latest development comes after a dismal qualifying session for the team, with both drivers failing to progress beyond Q1.
With little to gain from their grid positions, Sauber has taken the opportunity to break parc ferme by adjusting the rear wing specification on both Bottas and Zhou’s machines. Furthermore, Bottas has also received new power unit components on his car. As a result, Nico Hulkenberg and Esteban Ocon have been promoted to 17th and 18th on the grid, respectively.
“We were definitely close to Q2 today, just about hundredths of a second away from making the cut – which obviously leaves us with the feeling we could have achieved something more,” said Bottas.
Zhou, who struggled with track conditions and crashed twice during practice, added:
“Today was quite tricky – coming into qualifying without preparation on dry laps is never easy. During the morning session, I had a moment that ended FP3 early for me, and while I was able to gain more and more time on every qualifying lap, it wasn’t enough to catch up on my missed session.”
Sauber remains the only Formula 1 outfit without a point this season, and this latest setback is likely to rule out any chance of the Hinwil-based squad ending its barren run in Montreal. The Formula 1 calendar is shaping up to be a challenging one for Sauber, and with the team’s poor showing in qualifying and this latest pit-lane penalty, it’s unlikely they’ll be able to turn their fortunes around in Canada.
🔗 Source