ALFA ROMEO has made a sensational return to Formula 1, with a great history in the sport.
Italian automakers have gotten in and out of motorsport over the years – and will have a big job catching up with Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull.
Starting grid for F1 2019 and new drivers: Alfa Romeo enters, Kimi Räikkönen leaves Ferrari and full team lists
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Kimi Raikkonen becomes part of the newly designed Alfa Romeo Racing TeamPhoto credit: PA: Press Association
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The new Alfa Romeo has already impressed during test drives in Barcelona and landed with regular top ten placementsPhoto credit: Getty Images – Getty
Who has Alfa Romeo replaced in F1?
Alfa Romeo has been part of Ferrari’s branding since 2015 before becoming the title sponsor for Sauber from the 2018 season.
However, on February 1, 2019, it was announced that the Swiss team would become Alfa Romeo Racing, although management and ownership remained the same.
The first drivers under the new banner will be Kimi Raikkonen, after leaving Ferrari, and Antonio Giovinazzi, who has two races under his belt in 2017.
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Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi are the main drivers of Alfa RomeoPhoto credit: PA: Press Association
When was the last time you had an F1 team?
Alfa Romeo has had a team in Formula 1 for nine seasons since it was founded in 1950, sometimes under different names.
The automaker took part in the first ever Formula 1 season in 1950, winning six of the seven races, while Juan Manuel Fangio took the constructor’s championship the following year.
Their next engagement, however, was in 1979 under the pseudonym Autodelta, before changing their name to Marlboro Team Alfa Romeo the next season.
They served under that banner for four years before moving again, this time to Benetton Team Alfa Romeo for the 1984 and 1985 campaigns.
However, they have not had a Formula 1 team since then, although they have supplied engines for Formula 3 and Indycars for the past 32 years.
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Alfa Romeo has replaced Sauber on the grid for the upcoming F1 seasonImage credit: AFP
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Alfa Romeo has a long history in the sport, with notable drivers like the great Juan Manuel FangioPhoto credit: AP: Associated Press
