Valtteri Bottas says James Key will bring lots of experience Alfa Romeo, after the British engineer was announced as their new technical director.
Key joins Alfa Romeo after leaving McLaren in March 2023, a position he had held since 2019. He will officially work at Alfa Romeo from September 1, 2023.
The 51-year-old previously worked at the Sauber team from 2010 to 2012.
“James is obviously very welcome to the team,” Bottas said to the media. “He’s got lots of experience from different teams and has been in different situations.
“I think he’s going to be a good addition for us and I’m looking forward to starting to work with him.”
Bottas: Clear long-term plan at Alfa Romeo
Bottas joined the Swiss team after departing from Mercedes at the end of 2021, and initially enjoyed a strong first half of the 2022 season.
The Finnish driver had 46 points to his name after the 2022 Canadian Grand Prix, but the pace of the car fell away, and since then points finishes have been hard to come by.
As an experienced driver leading the team, Bottas is confident in Sauber’s future as the team is set to rebrand as Audi from 2026.
“The basic things are there,” Bottas added. “There’s always room for improvement and you can always get the latest machinery for every department, so I think there’s work going on.
“Seeing where to invest, and when to invest, because there’s a clear long term plan but in the end it’s also about human power. We’re getting there step-by-step but it’s a project.”
