Valtteri Bottas has urged Alfa Romeo to make a "rapid improvement" in Miami following their difficult weekend at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The team were far off the pace in Baku, with Bottas ending Sunday's race in 18th and last place while Zhou Guanyu was forced to retire due to a mechanical issue. Alfa Romeo currently sit P8 in the Constructors' Championship with six points, and Bottas admits that the squad need to make steps forward as soon as possible.
Bottas demands improvement
"Baku was definitely not our weekend, but we have taken some lessons from it and we have moved on to a new race week," Bottas said ahead of the Miami Grand Prix. "I am glad to be back in Miami, I have good memories from last year's inaugural race and the welcome we received here in Florida. "We need to make a rapid improvement in terms of performance, maximising the different track we'll have this week. "We are as motivated as ever: it may seem tough right now, but there are still many races ahead, and we are all keen on doing the very best. "I am looking forward to being back behind the wheel this weekend, feeling confident and ready for a new challenge."
Alfa Romeo not where they expected to be
Alessandro Alunni Bravi, Team Representative at Alfa Romeo, acknowledges that the start of the 2023 F1 season has not gone the way that the team had hoped. However, Bravi has encouraged the squad to "remain calm" as they look to make progress. "We head to Miami for the second and final leg of this double header, putting a difficult weekend in Azerbaijan behind us," he explained. "There is no denying we are not where we expected to be at the start of the season, and right now, performance-wise, fighting for the top 10 is tough. "Nevertheless, we must remain calm and not lose our focus on what we need to do: the season is still long, and we have the opportunity to turn the tide. "We saw in Baku how the field is still very much competitive, and small margins can make a real difference. "We are working hard on improvements, both back at base in Switzerland and at the track, and we are committed to achieve this together as a team."
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