Alfa Romeo’s Performance in 2023: Challenging end of life

They had however started the new era of regulations in 2022 with a 6th place, finishing tied with Aston Martin, with 55 points. However, as early as 2022, it was possible to notice the downward slope that Alfa Romeo was on.

One could have thought that the objective of the 2023 season was to maintain this level, to stay just below the top 5 and be in the right group, ahead of the worst teams. We must not forget the specter of Audi, which looms over the team and will bring about drastic changes in the team’s organization chart, leaving it with little time left to live, as it currently stands.

Reliability

If the performance of the C43 left something to be desired this season, it also showed a mixed reliability. Among the 7 retirements, the most striking moment of Alfa Romeo’s season will be the double mechanical retirement during the Brazilian Grand Prix, which went almost unnoticed during the race.

During the season, different types of issues occurred on the Italian cars, both for Zhou and Bottas. The most notable example happened in São Paulo, when Zhou was forced to retire on lap 22 due to engine problems. As for Bottas, who later had to retire on lap 39, it was his hydraulic system that showed failures.

In Baku, Zhou will fall victim to an overheating issue, forcing him to retire on lap 36. A problem that Bottas will also encounter in Singapore, leading him to retire due to overheating on lap 51, five months later than his teammate. An incident that proves that the improvements made throughout the season have not been able to make Alfa Romeo progress any further.

Another type of technical problem will add to the team’s background, with the Japanese Grand Prix being a real nightmare for Bottas. First, he was hit by a Williams car at the first turn of the race, causing extensive damage and forcing him to stop and change parts. The pit stop was very poorly prepared by the mechanics and lasted a total of 33 seconds, with the race being under safety car conditions at that time. In lap 5, following the race restart, Sargeant will collide with the back of the Finnish driver, sending him back into the gravel. This new incident will cause too much damage to the underside of his car, forcing him to retire two laps later and finishing last in the Grand Prix.

Zhou will also experience his fair share of hardship with an accident during the highly complex Grand Prix of the Netherlands. Complex because this stage will see rain pouring down on the track and greatly complicating the task for the drivers to stay on the tarmac. Something that the Chinese driver will not be able to achieve, as he will fall victim to aquaplaning in lap 62 and end his race in the TechPro barriers.

Optimization of the strategy

It has been complicated for Alfa Romeo’s strategy to take shape when the car is far from being able to score points. And even with frequent improvements and changes to the car this season, nothing has helped the team make a breakthrough.

There had, however, been a renewed confidence and good performance during the Grand Prix of Qatar for the Scuderia, with an 8th and 9th place finish for Bottas and Zhou. The drivers and Alumni had indeed celebrated the improvements made and the tire management. An achievement that was not repeated subsequently in Austin, where both drivers fell back to 12th and 13th place.

Ruth Buscombe, the head of the strategy department, announced her departure from the Italian team after the last race in Abu Dhabi.

Car performance

In Bahrain, things are going well, with an 8th place finish for Valtteri Bottas, earning his team 4 points directly. This raises the question of whether Alfa Romeo is ready to offer this level of performance for each of their races. However, the rest of the championship at the Saudi Arabian GP will calm the spirits. Alfa Romeo will come out empty-handed with no points. The same dynamic played out in the Australian GP, with their two drivers not making it past Q1. But that was without considering a completely crazy end to the race, which saw Zhou secure the 9th place after 8 drivers couldn’t finish the race.

However, the 6 points earned in three races are not indicative of Alfa Romeo’s actual level, and the upcoming races will confirm it. Alfa Romeo will go through 3 races without a single point, with Baku, Miami, and Monaco. The following weekend in Barcelona, Zhou will achieve very good performances and will secure a 9th place, which translates to 2 points. Alfa Romeo will continue their momentum with a lucky point in Canada, thanks to Norris’ penalty that allows Bottas to move up to 10th place, earning them 1 point and helping them reclaim 7th place in the constructors’ championship.

It is at this moment that Alfa Romeo goes through 8 Grand Prix without scoring a single point. At that moment, Alfa Romeo sits at the bottom of the constructor standings with only 9 points. But the Qatar GP will completely relaunch the season for the Italian team. Bottas will have a very solid race and secure the 8th place and 4 points. Taking advantage of several penalties for exceeding track limits, Zhou benefits. While the Chinese driver had finished 12th, starting from 19th, these penalties given to the three drivers ahead of him allow him to climb to 9th place and earn 2 points. The Qatar GP sets things right for Alfa Romeo, who moves up to 8th place in the constructor standings, 7 points behind Williams.

Over the last 5 races of the season, Alfa Romeo will fall back into its old habits and become the apathetic team it was for most of the season, consistently finishing in the last and second-to-last positions on the grid.

Teammate showdown

Qualifications: Bottas 15 – 7 Zhou

Course: Bottas 13 – 9 Zhou

When Valtteri Bottas joined Alfa Romeo, it was mainly for him to bring his experience and help the team progress with their car over the course of the races. Alongside him, we find the former F2 champion and still young driver, Guanyu Zhou, who is still struggling to make a breakthrough in Formula 1. Logically, the Finnish driver has generally outperformed his teammate. He will have accumulated a total of 10 points at the end of the season, compared to 6 for his younger counterpart.