As Alfa Romeo prepares for its takeover by Audi in 2026, the Swiss team has entered a noticeable slump, reflecting a challenging period.
The situation at Volkswagen-owned Audi is also uncertain, with CEO Markus Duesmann, who spearheaded the decision to enter Formula 1, having been ousted.
However, Valtteri Bottas, currently driving for the team operating as Alfa Romeo, remains hopeful and believes the transition to Audi will proceed as planned.
Bottas, when asked about the Audi takeover, expressed confidence, stating, “No, it’s still all on plan, I believe.
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“It’s still obviously far away, but I haven’t actually heard anything else.
“So yeah, it should be all good.”
While the team’s future ownership seems secure, on-track performance has been far from satisfactory.
Alfa Romeo suffered a setback, finishing ninth in the constructors’ championship in the recent race at Silverstone.
Renowned Blick correspondent Roger Benoit revealed that the team is actively seeking solutions to address its struggles.
The removal of technical director Jan Monchaux was the initial response to the poor performance, but it remains uncertain what further changes lie ahead.
The introduction of car updates at the British Grand Prix did not yield the desired results, and Bottas acknowledged that rival teams have made significant progress while Sauber’s performance has faltered.
He stated, “We are approaching halfway through the season and we haven’t been able to move up the hierarchy.
“We expected to be better than last year.”
Xevi Pujolar, Alfa Romeo’s team engineering boss, believes that the team’s 2023 car is already faster than Haas and AlphaTauri, who currently lag behind in the standings.
He expressed confidence that the only challenge is Williams, which holds a mere two-point advantage.
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Pujolar remarked, “There is only a two-point difference, but they are very successful.
“They were fighting with Ferrari and even Aston Martin at Silverstone.
“But we are convinced that between now and the summer break, it is possible to overtake Haas and Williams.
“This is our goal.”