(Motorsport-Complete.com) – It was “undoubtedly my greatest Saturday up to now”, Guanyu Zhou rejoices after the Qualifying for the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix. The Chinese language put the Alfa Romeo in fifth place and thus achieved his greatest qualifying end in System 1 by far.
Beforehand, Zhou had began a race within the premier class from a most of ninth place, this year he had never even made it into Q3. “The crew gave me a automobile from the primary follow session that felt very aggressive,” he stories.
As a result of Alfa Romeo already made a powerful impression within the coaching classes, in Q1, Zhou even set the best time on the hard tires. The nice feeling within the automobile allowed him to push the restrict very early this weekend, explains Zhou.
“The outcome was not achieved by luck, however by true capability and true velocity [des Autos]. Which means quite a bit to me,” he says fortunately. He was below numerous stress in Q3, as a result of he was stripped of his first time there.
By then, Zhou had overstepped the monitor limits, so all of it got here right down to his second try in Q3. “I had understeer and went off the monitor at flip 11, so I used to be below stress on the final lap,” he admits, however emphasizes that he can deal with the stress.
Good qualifying outcome surprises Bottas
“Once I noticed that [die zweite Runde] 5, six tenths of a second sooner [als auf der vorherigen Runde]I knew it was a very good lap,” he says with satisfaction. Teammate Valtteri Bottas was solely 0.063 seconds slower and ended up in P7.
The Finn reveals that he anticipated Alfa Romeo to do some higher than final time at Silverstone. “However it’s significantly better! I did not anticipate that, however we’ll take it,” beamed the Finn, who already suspected within the third follow session that there could possibly be a very good end in qualifying.
He completed FT3 in tenth place and Bottas reveals that was a very good signal as a result of he was “with an engine mode [gefahren]which was not but the qualifying mode.” He grins: “I’ve Andreas [Seidl] stated simply earlier than qualifying that we’ll end within the prime 7 right now.”
“In order that’s a fairly good prediction! I am unhappy that I am not allowed to position bets as a result of I might have made good cash,” he laughs and emphasizes: “The crew had a clear weekend, the set-up was proper, so every little thing was getting in the fitting path.”
“After which on the subject of tenths to get into Q3, then this stuff depend, so it was a very stable day,” stated Bottas, who after all additionally is aware of that Alfa Romeo is making a giant leap ahead within the timesheets.
Bottas: Hungary is accommodating the C43
“However in case you take a look at the lap instances, that is not the case in any respect,” he emphasizes. As a result of in Q2, Zhou made it into the highest 10 in ninth place, for instance, by simply 0.003 seconds. Bottas explains: “So it is actually about who does every little thing proper on the weekend.”
“That may imply many, many positions,” the Finn is aware of. Little issues might already make a giant distinction. “I feel that is how System 1 ought to be,” he emphasizes and explains: “This monitor brings the nice qualities [des Autos] to the fore.”
Mainly, Alfa Romeo nonetheless has the identical issues, for instance an excessive amount of air resistance on the straights. “And right here there is just one straight, so we lose much less lap time there and are sooner within the winding sections,” he explains.
“I feel we nonetheless must study concerning the new bundle and set-up and the trip heights aren’t optimum but. However we’re pleasantly shocked at how briskly we [am Samstag] have been, in all areas, it appears,” Bottas attracts a constructive conclusion.
Zhou is aware of: Do not struggle with the highest groups
However can Alfa Romeo hold the nice positions within the race on Sunday? “Hopefully I can have the perfect Sunday tomorrow,” Zhou laughs, referring to his “greatest Saturday,” but additionally explains: “We all know that the highest groups have their objectives.”
“Now we have our personal objectives that we have now to attain within the race,” he explains, making it clear: “We’re not competing with Pink Bull and Ferrari when it comes to race trim, we wish to sustain with McLaren and ensure we will hold Alpine behind us.”
“So it is going to be extra concerning the begin and the primary lap to ensure we do not lose positions and possibly even get just a little nearer to the McLarens. The race is all about technique,” predicts Zhou.
He believes that tire put on will likely be excessive on Sunday – and for a change is hoping for luck with a potential security automobile. “Within the final two races, each time I used to be within the pits, the protection automobile got here out a lap later,” he remembers.
“Hopefully we will do it this time,” Zhou stated. The very fact is, nonetheless, that with two Ferraris, two Aston Martins, a Pink Bull and a Mercedes, amongst different issues, there are a lot of quick vehicles within the starting grid stand behind him. So it is going to be something however straightforward to carry your individual within the prime 10.
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Printed : 2023-07-23 08:59:33
