An Alfa Romeo motive force gained the primary Components 1 championship again in 1950, when the Italian emblem used to be a powerhouse in Eu racing. They are going to have an unbelievable motorsport heritage, however this present day the logo’s F1 group is operated by way of the Sauber Staff, and their present ambitions are extra to mix into midfield than combat for titles. This is your information to the Hinwil-based outfit, forward of the brand new 2023 marketing campaign…
Drivers by way of 2023
Valtteri Bottas #77: 10 Grand Prix wins, 67 podiums, 1787 issues, 200 Grand Prix begins
Zhou Guanyu #24: 6 issues, absolute best results of P8, 22 Grand Prix races
Valtteri Bottas made his F1 debut with Williams in 2013 and joined Mercedes, the place he gained 5 consecutive constructors’ championships, in 2017. The Finnish motive force used to be changed by way of George Russell for 2022 and Bottas due to this fact joined Alfa Romeo, in flip changing fellow Finn Kimi Raikkonen who used to be retiring. The group used the services and products of then-rookie Zhou Guanyuwho turned into the primary full-time Chinese language motive force in F1 after completing 3rd within the 2021 Components 2 Championship.
Alfa Romeo introduced in september 2022 that they’d retain Zhou for any other season in conjunction with Bottas, who used to be reported in 2021 that he signed a multi-year contract with the group
Ultimate season
After scoring issues simply six occasions in 2021, Alfa Romeo began 2022: the new technology of F1, in a far more potent method. Zhou scored on his debut with P10 whilst Bottas accomplished P6 in Bahrain, and the Finn scored 5 extra occasions within the subsequent six races. Zhou joined Bottas in issues as soon as once more in Canada because the group recorded its 2nd double issues end of 2022.
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However that might be his final double issues haul as a double retirement, together with a large coincidence for Zhouadopted in Silverstone and extra issues for Bottas in Hungary, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Italy introduced any other level because of Zhou, however it used to be transparent that Alfa Romeo’s early season shape had light; from rounds 11 to 22 they scored simply 4 of the season’s 55 general issues and completed degree with Aston Martin.
6th within the championship it used to be his praise over Aston, as Bottas accomplished the most efficient race results of the 4 drivers from the 2 groups.
Historical past
You’ll be able to’t point out Alfa Romeo with out bringing up the likes of Giuseppe Farina, Juan Manuel Fangio and Louis Fagioli. The marque ruled the primary two seasons of the Components 1 International Championship, however folded on the finish of the 1951 season, earlier than supplying privateers with engines within the mid-Nineteen Sixties and early Nineteen Seventies.
In 1976 Alfa provided engines to the Brabham group, earlier than the Italian marque returned as constructors in their very own proper from 1979 to 1985, leaving the game when the Fiat Staff purchased the corporate in 1986.
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Sauber, a Swiss privateer group that entered F1 in 1993, signed a multi-year partnership with Alfa Romeo in 2017, which noticed the logo go back to F1 as Alfa Romeo-Sauber in 2018.
Sauber continues to perform the Ferrari-powered group, however Alfa Romeo has taken over the logo as of 2019. As of 2026, Sauber will transform the professional paintings group of Audi.
Biggest success
In its present shape, the Sauber-operated group, 6th within the constructors championship 2022 is Alfa Romeo’s crowning success, even if it added two extra issues by way of completing 8th general in 2019.
However, as discussed above, Alfa Romeo works drivers Flour Y Fangio he gained the primary two F1 drivers’ championships within the early Nineteen Fifties.
This season
Bottas and Zhou stay teammates at Alfa Romeo in 2023, however there was a large trade in group control as Former boss Frederic Vasseur has left to transform Ferrari group fundamental after six years in command.
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In the meantime, the previous McLaren group fundamental Andreas Seidl has been appointed CEO of the Sauber Staff as they appear against the transition to Audi, and will probably be assisted by way of Alessandro Alunni Bravi, former Sauber Staff managing director, who has been given the brand new position of group consultant.
Vasseur left the group in a wholesome place as they clinched 6th position within the 2022 championship, even if Seidl and Bravi want to be certain the group’s shape does not falter in the second one part of 2023 within the alarming method it did final yr. previous.