Alfa Romeo have confirmed that they will be leaving Formula 1 at the end of the 2023 season, with Audi set to succeed their partnership with Sauber.
Alfa joined forces with Sauber in 2018, with the name fully returning to the sport in 2019, bringing a feeling of nostalgia with it given Alfas were on the very first F1 grids back in the 1950s.
Of course, the Alfa team today has no connection with the Alfa team of yesteryear, with Sauber on the grid since the early 90s, but it has been no less enjoyable having a brand like theirs return to the sport.
2023 could be the last time, for a while at least, we see Alfa Romeo as a team in F1, though, with them confirming their intention to exit their partnership with Sauber at the end of next year.
Yesterday we saw the news confirmed that Audi would be taking over the partnership with the Sauber team and running as a works outfit, which is exciting, and it has been confirmed now that Alfa won’t be engaging with any of the other nine teams on the grid, with them instead set to bow out.
Carlos Tavares, the CEO of the parent company of Alfa, had this to say to French outlet L’Equipe:
“You have to look at things objectively.
“The partnership we had with Sauber was a quality agreement which was very well negotiated by my predecessor. We used it very well through the recovery period of the Alfa Romeo brand in the market.
“Today, the brand is very profitable and in full revival. The conditions are changing and we have no desire at all to put into F1 the enormousity of the resources that will be invested by some of our competitors. So we withdraw, cleanly and kindly .”
SUZUKA, JAPAN – OCTOBER 08: Valtteri Bottas of Finland driving the (77) Alfa Romeo F1 C42 Ferrari on track during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Japan at Suzuka International Racing Course on October 08, 2022 in Suzuka, Japan. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
It’s always a shame to lose an iconic brand from F1 and Alfa is certainly that but you have to admire what they have done during their time in the sport.
They have produced a competitive car this year that has improved on recent seasons and they’ll be aiming to build on that again to ensure they leave the sport on a high note.
You can keep up to date with all the latest F1 news, rumors and results right here at Give Me Sport.
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