F1 News: Zhou Guanyu Reveals "Frustration" Over Recurring Sauber Issue

Sauber/Stake driver Zhou Guanyu opens up on his frustrations after another troublesome pit stop.

Zhou Guanyu expressed his discontent as a recurring pit stop issue plagued Sauber for the second race in a row at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, causing him to finish at the back.

Key Takeaways:

• Sauber encountered a slow pit stop issue due to a cross-threaded wheel nut, significantly affecting Zhou Guanyu's race position.
• This marks the second consecutive race where Sauber has faced pit stop problems, with Valtteri Bottas experiencing a similar issue in the previous race.
• Despite the challenges, both Guanyu and Bottas faced difficulties during the race, with Guanyu unable to recover post-pit stop and Bottas struggling with tyre strategy.

Sauber Press Image

The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix proved challenging for Sauber, as the team faced another problematic pit stop. Zhou Guanyu, who had chosen to stay out during an early Safety Car, was significantly delayed during his pit stop on Lap 43 due to a cross-threaded wheel nut, relegating him to the end of the lineup, behind teammate Valtteri Bottas.

Reflecting on the incident, Guanyu shared his frustration to Formula1.com: 

“Everything was going well [in the race].

“Difficult race at the beginning, managing a lot the engine [temperature]. Then [I had] very fast pace on the mediums, considering how much I have to lift off for the temperature. After that pit stop unfortunately it’s done. Frustrating of course, it happens already twice for us as a team. We need to improve, that’s clear, and yeah, the race was basically gone after that.”

The weekend had been tough for Guanyu, who had already faced a setback after a crash during Friday's Free Practice 3. Despite these challenges, he noted improvements in his racing capabilities over the years but acknowledged the difficulty in regaining positions after the pit stop delay.

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