Sauber officially apologized to Zhou Guanyu after a major qualifying blunder saw him unable to set a final lap time. During SQ1, Zhou repeatedly questioned his pit wall about timing, only to be reassured they had ample time. Despite these assurances, he crossed the timing line for his final run as the lights turned red, making him the only driver not to complete a last lap in the session. Zhou called the incident "not acceptable," emphasizing that the team "completely messed up the timing for the final run." Team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi acknowledged the error, stating they "made the wrong call" and would analyze communication to avoid future mistakes. This gaffe relegates Zhou to the back of the grid for the sprint race, while teammate Valtteri Bottas reached SQ2. It’s another frustrating setback for Kick Sauber, highlighting persistent operational issues that continue to hamstring their drivers' efforts.
Read the full story at RaceFans/Kick SauberSAUBER APOLOGISE TO ZHOU FOR “NOT ACCEPTABLE” QUALIFYING BLUNDER
Sauber officially apologized to Zhou Guanyu after a major qualifying blunder saw him unable to set a final lap time. During SQ1, Zhou repeatedly questioned his pit wall about timing, only to be reassured they had ample time. Despite these assurances, he crossed the timing line for his final run as the lights turned red, making him the only driver not to complete a last lap in the session. Zhou called the incident "not acceptable," emphasizing that the team "completely messed up the timing for the final run." Team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi acknowledged the error, stating they "made the wrong call" and would analyze communication to avoid future mistakes. This gaffe relegates Zhou to the back of the grid for the sprint race, while teammate Valtteri Bottas reached SQ2. It’s another frustrating setback for Kick Sauber, highlighting persistent operational issues that continue to hamstring their drivers' efforts.
