Bottas makes the best of troubled week for Alfa Romeo

Valtteri Bottas vowed to view Alfa Romeo's glass as half full despite the Swiss outfit's troubled start to pre-season testing in Barcelona.

Teething issues undermined Alfa's programme during its three days at the Circuit de Catalunya and resulted in Bottas completing just 54 laps onboard the Hinwil squad's new C42.

Save for the nine laps logged by Alfa reserve Robert Kubica on the opening day of running, the Finn's lap count was the lowest of all drivers.

"It was a positive day, with quite a bit of running and some good indications until nearly the end of the session," said a stoic Bottas, commenting on Friday's running, or rather lack of.

"I was able to run with the C3 compound, but unfortunately a spin and a small hydraulic leak meant I couldn’t try the C4 tyres.

"It’s only testing and we can’t really compare what we are doing against the other teams, but the feeling is that we are going in the right direction.

"The most important thing is to work together as a team to make sure we take a step forward ahead of testing in Bahrain."

Bottas' team mate Guanyu Zhou was in a slightly better place than the Finn in terms of lap count, having achieved 112 laps overall.

The F1 rookie twice brought out the red flag during his final session with the team on Friday morning. But the Chinese apprentice nevertheless offered an encouraging account of Alfa's progress.

Barcelona pre-season testing: Day 3 in pictures

"The team has made good progress with the C42, even though I wasn’t able to get all the running I would have liked," said Zhou.

"A few technical issues stopped us in the afternoon, but the data we collected during the morning session will allow us to keep working and developing the car.

"Our focus switches to making the most of the time between now and the Bahrain test, and maximising our mileage when we get there.

"I am confident we can make up the time we lost and be fully ready for the season ahead," he concluded.

Alfa Romeo's new-spec C42 ran in a camo livery all week in Barcelona as the team will unveil its 2022 livery at a special presentation that will take place on Sunday morning in Hinwil at 9:30 CET (8:30 GMT).

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.