周冠宇

Abu Dhabi, 8 December 2024 –Kick Sauber F1 Team capped of the 2024 season with an emotional grand finale in the iconic setting of the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, a race which marked the end of three eventful years with our driver pairing of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu After the promising past race of the Doha GP and the season best qualifying, the circumstances during this eventful race did not allow the drivers and the team to finish the season with additional points. Already in the first round a contact between Valtteri and Sergio Perez resulted in a 10-second penalty for the Finn. A collision with Kevin Magnussen forced him to retire in lap 30. Zhou was able to gain ground, but a 5-second penalty for false start held him back from gaining additional positions.

Alessandro Alunni Bravi, Team Representative: "Today's race was eventful and brought a tough season to a close, with only four points scored across 24 races. The most meaningful moment came before the race as we bid farewell to Zhou and Valtteri after three years together in which they contributed greatly to our cause and supported us through challenging times. Valtteri gave his all tonight but was unlucky with two incidents—one with Perez on lap one, resulting in a front wing change and penalty, and another with Magnussen on lap 30, which caused suspension damage and forced his retirement. It's not the ending we hoped for, but we'll celebrate his incredible efforts and wish him the best for the future. Zhou ran a strong race, recovering from a false start and penalty to finish P13, thanks to his pace and a well-executed strategy. We also wish him every success in his next chapter. We want to thank everyone at Hinwil, trackside, and at Ferrari for their hard work this season. Congratulations to McLaren on their well-earned Constructors' Championship, a testament to perseverance and teamwork. Inspired, we now focus on the post-season period to build a strong foundation for 2025 and beyond."

Valtteri Bottas (car number 77):

KICK Sauber F1 Team C44 (Chassis 02/Ferrari)

Race result: DNF

Fastest lap: 1:29.482 (Lap 14)

Strategy & Pit Stops: Start (New Medium) – Lap 8 (New Hard)

"Unfortunately, today felt like a downward spiral after the incident on lap one, for which I also received a penalty. From there on, I was at the back, but we still kept trying and kept pushing. Later in the race, I had contact with Kevin [Magnussen] while defending: I locked up on old tyres and basically bumped into him. That was my mistake, and it's a shame my last race with the team ended this way. We know we gave it everything and that is all we could do tonight. As another season goes into the books, and I plan for what's next, I want to take a moment to thank everyone at the team, everyone at Ferrari, and all the supporters for their incredible support this year."

Zhou Guanyu (car number 24):

KICK Sauber F1 Team C44 (Chassis 04/Ferrari)

Race result: 13th

Fastest lap: 1:27.982 (Lap 56)

Strategy & Pit Stops: Start (New Medium) – Lap 13 (New Hard) – Lap 40 (New Hard)

"It's been an emotional weekend and, while I wish we could finish with a better result, we cannot let today detract from the three years I spent with the team. I don't think the pace was at its best today, but we were out there fighting and gave it everything. Starting 15th it was always going to be difficult, and a slow stop and the penalty put us out of contention for the points. Still, it was the last race, and I think we executed our day as well as we could. I just want to thank everyone in the team and among the fans for their support over the last three years—it's truly been a pleasure. Now it's on to the next chapter for me, but I also wish the team all the very best for the future."