Alfa Romeo knows they have to do better: Upgrades in Monza and Suzuka

It is by no means Alfa Romeo's season. In the last year before Sauber's name sponsorship ends, the Swiss managed to collect just nine points. So after the summer break, things must improve. While a number of teams are already slowly shifting their focus to 2024, Alfa Romeo plans to introduce two more upgrades.

At the upcoming Dutch Grand Prix, Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou will still have to work with the same car as before the summer break. A first upgrade is planned for the Italian Grand Prix at the fast Monza circuit, and a second and final one a few weeks later at Suzuka (Japan). They have to be big upgrades, otherwise it will bring Alfa Romeo nothing, team boss Alessandro Alunni Bravi realises.

McLaren as example for Alfa Romeo

"It’s not enough to have one-tenth," he told Speedcafe, referring to the steps others have already made. The Italian was thinking in particular of McLaren, which has worked its way up from a backmarker to a serious contender for the podium spots in a matter of months. "It’s not micro, little developments, it’s not marginal gains for us. For us, it’s a matter of each time we introduce an update, it must give us between two- and three-tenths. This is a challenge because if it will be an easy task everybody will do it."

In 2022, Alfa Romeo/Sauber - which will be Audi's factory team from 2026 - finished sixth in the constructors' championship. That was the best final result in a decade for the team. It should be noted that the good results then were mainly achieved in the first half of the season. Since the summer break of '22, things took a turn, and that trend has carried over into this season.