As a farewell after several years spent in the Sauber team, Alfa Romeo invited Valtteri Bottas to drive its 33 Stradale supercar.
There are not only savages in Formula 1. Even if Alfa Romeo was no longer the title sponsor of the Sauber team in 2024, relations remained very good between the Italian manufacturer and Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas. While the latter was preparing to return to Mercedes in 2025, as a reserve driver, he made a detour to the Stellantis group's test track in Balocco (created in 1962), in the north of Italy. The opportunity, in particular, to slip into the carbon seat of the latest supercar, the superb 33 Stradale.
A test at the wheel of the “prototype 00” which, according to Alfa Romeo, would have made it possible to refine the settings of its work of art, production of which will be limited to 33 examples. As for the price, secret, the indiscretions would lend him a 7-figure amount, or more than a million euros.
A unique experience on the track
Valtteri Bottas started his day with a reconnaissance lap aboard the Giulia GTAm, a car he knows well since he owns one of the 500 examples produced. He then took the wheel of the 33 Stradale, which he immediately described as ” intuitive and easy to understand car“. The difficulty for a Formula 1 driver is knowing how to lower his level of dynamic requirements to project himself into the shoes of an average driver.
The friendly Finn also praised the 100% approach. driver oriented“, where the minimalism of the cabin eliminates all distractions. He was also impressed by the inimitable sound of the 620 horsepower 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6, the same one that already equips the Maserati MC20 cousin. The two cars are also very similar in design, except that the native of Modena costs 230,000 euros…
“Pista” mode: pure adrenaline
Bottas then engaged Pista mode and slammed the 8 gears of the dual-clutch gearbox on the fly. His smile was not in vain as he left this preview test… before taking possession of his own car in the coming weeks. Indeed, Bottas is a member of the prestigious Club 33 which will bring together the 33 owners of this very special Alfa Romeo. “ The opportunity to test the 33 Stradale was a very special moment. The experience is close to perfection: the car is responsive, precise, and immediately puts you at ease. I'm extremely happy with the testing, and now I can't wait for my own 33 Stradale to be ready!«
In the meantime, we can bet that Valtteri Bottas will not arrive at his new German employer at the wheel of his superb Italian coupe…
READ ALSO: Peugeot lowers the prices of all versions of the 2008!
