Formula 1 2021 team preview: Alfa Romeo

Alfa Romeo has stuck with Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi for 2021, so there is one less thing to worry about.

The team has had a hot 2020 with just a handful of points. However, with an upgraded Ferrari engine, Alfa Romeo will be looking to make some much-needed strides this year.

We describe the perspectives of the Swiss team and what can be expected from them in the 2021 season.

Team: Alfa Romeo

Strengthen

For Alfa Romeo, the biggest plus this season is the improvement of the Ferrari engine. The team’s progress was massively hampered last year when the Maranello manufacturer had to make last-minute changes to the engine.

Last year there were times when the Alfa Romeos were almost on par with Ferrari in terms of pace. So the engine boost should help them get closer to midfield and maybe even mix it up with them as the season progresses.

Weakness

The performance of the driver line-up is a bit of a concern for Alfa Romeo. Photo: Joe Portlock / GettyImages

Alfa Romeo has great potential in terms of talent available. Resources don’t matter too much now, and top management has some sharp minds working with the goal of moving the team forward. However, the driver line-up leaves a lot to be desired.

With Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi, the team has two drivers who are probably not getting the most out of the car. Kimi Raikkonen, possibly in the last leg of his career, was a shadow of himself and understandably one of the oldest drivers on the grid.

Giovinazzi, a driver who was to become a future Ferrari driver, failed to impress with the team in two seasons. That Mick Schumacher didn’t replace him at Alfa Romeo was a bit of a surprise, as Ferrari had the opportunity to test the reigning Formula 2 champion against Raikkonen.

Although Alfa Romeo could make progress with the car, they need drivers who can make the most of it, which is not the case right now.

driver

Kimi Raikkonen

It’s hard to believe that the 2007 Formula 1 world champion, Kimi Räikkönen, is still racing in Formula 1 with the results of his young teammate.

But in a team like Alfa Romeo, where the car just doesn’t meet the requirements, they have to be able to beat their weight every now and then, for which Raikkonen is no longer the right man for the job.

With retirement coming up for the Finn, it will be interesting to see if he calls a day after this season or if he stays for the paycheck for another year.

Antonio Giovinazzi

Antonio





“I’m really happy with our work: it’s been a long day with lots of laps, but I think we ticked all the boxes on our list. We worked very hard in winter and are ready for the first round. ”Https://t.co/13HhOBv2Yn

– Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN (@alfaromeoracing) March 13, 2021

Antonio Giovinazzi has received another contract extension from Alfa Romeo after another average season for the Italian. If he doesn’t improve this year, however, there will be more than a few suitors waiting in the wings to fill his place.

Mick Schumacher is one of the potential contenders for Giovinazzi’s ride alongside Callum Illot and Robert Shwartzman.

2021 has to be Giovinazzi’s breakthrough year, otherwise he could be sent to pack at the end of the season.

Instructions for the pre-season test form

With 166 laps in Kimi’s name, today’s total number of kilometers for the three test days brings 422 laps – 2,283.86 km





https: //t.co/SBalZ29l9k

– Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN (@alfaromeoracing) March 14, 2021

Alfa Romeo has made a significant step forward this season. The team has had a decent number of laps and not too many mishaps. Notable improvements have also been made to the car, with the team focusing on a more sophisticated front end that has already brought some noticeable benefits.

Early data shows that while the team has improved, Alfa Romeo may find itself in the no man’s land between the midfield group and the returnees at Haas and Williams.

Predictions for the Formula 1 season 2021

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For the 2021 season, Alfa Romeo aims to make progress while keeping an eye on the 2022 season. Closing the gap with midfield could be a step too far for the team, but expect Alfa Romeo to keep eighth place overall for the 2021 season.

Edited by Sandeep Banerjee

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