The Italian GP was the last home race for the Milanese marque as its six-year relationship with Sauber approaches its conclusion. The occasion was celebrated with a special livery featuring the Italian flag, while Alfa also used the weekend to unveil the new 33 Stradale, a model that reflects the sporty image that its involvement in Grand Prix racing is supposed to project.
The problem that the management of Alfa and its parent company Stellantis now face is, 'how do we follow that?'
There’s little doubt that the Sauber deal was a golden ticket for Alfa. Originally conceived by the late Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Ferrari boss Sergio Marchionne, the deal saw Alfa as title sponsor of Sauber for a single season in 2018, before the company took over the full team and chassis name from 2019, for what was in effect a bargain price.
Car manufacturers have sponsored F1 teams before, notably Infiniti and Aston Martin with Red Bull Racing, but bagging the team and car identity was something different. It was a cheap deal because when it was negotiated in 2017 the Hinwil team was last in the constructors’ championship by some margin, and it didn’t have too many opportunities. Alfa brought not just much-needed cash but was also a sexy brand that would, in theory, appeal to other sponsors and even to potential drivers.
It worked brilliantly for Alfa, who enjoyed a high-profile foothold in F1 for a fraction of the cost of developing its own power unit or subsidising a full works project. In the early years, Alfa even had a claim on one of the seats, reserving it for a Ferrari protégé. Charles Leclerc took it initially, and subsequently, Antonio Giovinazzi was nominated.
Then last year came Audi’s purchase of Sauber. After a single season in 2023 to finish out the contract it was untenable for Alfa to remain involved with Sauber for the two remaining interim years before full Audi identity comes along in 2026. It simply made no sense for Audi to invest in building up the Swiss organisation and have a rival brand enjoy the benefits, albeit temporarily.
For Alfa Romeo CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato, who moved sideways from Peugeot at the start of 2021 when Stellantis was created, the loss of the Sauber deal through circumstances beyond his control was obviously disappointing.
Source: Autosport