On the other hand, with massive support from Ferrari, Sauber is sure to move well forward on the grid to the level of the Haas F1 team. This year, Sauber scored just five points, compared with 47 for Haas F1. Toro Rosso now faces the prospect that even with Honda’s recently maligned-but-improving power units, the team must make considerably more progress than planned to avoid being permanent backmarkers in 2018.
Ferrari junior Charles Leclerc will fill one of the Alfa Romeo Sauber’s race seats. The Monaco-born Leclerc is the newly crowned GP2 champion and was given conspicuous opportunity to participate in Sauber’s FP1 practice sessions in the later part of the 2017 season at the Malaysia, US, Mexico, and Brazilian Grands Prix. He also took part in F1’s mid-season test at the Hungaroring with Ferrari where he was fastest on the first day of the two-day test.
Marcus Ericsson and Ferrari junior Antonio Giovinazzi competed for the other seat, but it was current driver Ericsson that won out, for this year at least.
Birth of the Legend
The return of Alfa Romeo, one of the primary protagonists in Formula 1 history, is expected to contribute significantly to the appeal and future development of Formula 1. The Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team arrives with an already large and passionate European fan base, while participation in the championship also offers the Alfa Romeo brand benefits in areas such as technology transfer, road safety and brand elevation.
Alfa Romeo is known around the world for its racing heritage and technological excellence. The undisputed champion of the pre-war Grand Prix (in 1925, the GP Tipo 2 dominated the first World Championship), Alfa Romeo participated in Formula 1 from 1950 to 1988, both as a constructor and engine supplier.
Immediately upon its debut, Alfa Romeo won the first two drivers’ world championships, in 1950 and 1951, with legendary drivers Nino Farina and Juan Manuel Fangio. From 1961 to 1979, Alfa Romeo participated as the engine supplier to several F1 teams.
Following its return as a constructor in 1979, Alfa Romeo achieved its single pole position at the 1980 US Grand Prix, courtesy of Bruno Giacomelli, with the marque’s best result in 1983, taking sixth place in the constructors’ championship.
The Beginning of the Circle
With this return to F1, the link between Ferrari and Alfa Romeo began in 1923 has come full circle.
The beginning of Alfa Romeo goes back to 1918. Originally named A.L.F.A. (Anomica Lombardo Fabbrica Automobili), the firm produced sports and racing cars along with airplane engines and large, substantial automobiles. Following the A.L.F.A. class win at the 1,500 kilometre, five-stage Modena trials in April 191, racing became a core element of the company’s raison d’être.
A.L.F.A.’s desire to race was derailed by the Italian economy and labour unrest. In 1915, Nicola Romeo, a successful industrialist with an engineering background saw an opportunity to raise the proficient but struggling firm out of this quagmire. He purchased the company and changed the name to Alfa Romeo in 1918.
In 1920, one of the new company’s hires was Enzo Ferrari, a dependable race driver who would go on to occasional victories, beginning with Circuito di Savio in 1923.
He proved to be a much better visionary. Nicola Romeo asked him to persuade FIAT engineer Vittorio Jano to join Alfa, which commenced in late 1923. Ferrari also became Alfa Romeo’s dealer for the Emilia-Romagna region around Modena and set up an office in Bologna.
With driver Mario Tadini, and industrialists Alfredo and Augosto Caniato, Ferrari decided to start Scuderia Ferrari, organised by driver-owners who prepared cars for competition and supported the owners who raced them. They chose Alfa Romeos, engineered by Ferrari’s friends, Vittorio Jano and Luigi Bazzi.