Recently, the Alfa Romeo F1 Team made a noteworthy decision to revert driver Zhou Guanyu’s car to its original chassis and floor configuration from the start of the season, in response to the challenges he has faced during races.
Since the Imola round in the middle of the season, Zhou’s C44 racecar was equipped with an updated chassis and floor. However, this change did not yield the anticipated performance improvement but instead added pressure on Zhou, as he experienced difficulty with the car’s handling, particularly on bumpy sections, where it would slide easily and feel overly stiff, hindering his ability to perform at his best.
Facing this dilemma, Zhou didn’t give in. He requested the team to switch back to the season-start chassis and floor, and after careful consideration, the Alfa Romeo F1 Team decided to follow his suggestion, making this significant adjustment.
Zhou commented positively on the decision, “I’m glad the team listened to my concerns and made the change. The previous setup was very uncomfortable for me on bumpy tracks, and now I’m looking forward to regaining the feeling I had at the beginning of the season.” He admitted that his mistake in Canada was a result of the car’s unusual behavior on rough patches, thus holding high hopes for this change.
Comparing himself to his teammate Bottas, Zhou believes his issues on bumpy sections were more pronounced. “I experienced more extreme bouncing and car reactions than Bottas,” he said. “This is why we chose to change the chassis.” Confident in this choice, he expects it to enhance his competitiveness and anticipates a return to top form in upcoming races.
This decision to switch the chassis represents a crucial test for the Alfa Romeo F1 Team. If Zhou can rediscover his form and achieve strong results with the new setup, it will vindicate the team’s choice. Conversely, if it doesn’t yield the desired outcome, they will learn from it and continue searching for ways to improve the car’s performance.
In conclusion, Alfa Romeo F1 Team’s move to change Zhou’s chassis demonstrates their commitment to considering driver feedback and their relentless pursuit of victory. It is expected that Zhou will excel with the revised car configuration in future races, bringing pride to the team.
