F1: Sauber And Alfa Romeo Renew Partnership For 2021

Sauber and Alfa Romeo have renewed their partnership for the 2021 season giving the FCA owned team naming rights. Alfa Romeo came back to F1 in 2018 with a multi year deal with it getting full naming rights in 2019 and this agreement is now being extended to 2021. As a part of this agreement, the team is going to run special one-off livery for the Emilla Romagna GP at Imola which returns to F1 grid after a gap of 14 years. The new livery will feature the Italian flag on top o the roll-hoop and on the rear wing endplates. 

Alfa Romeo Racing Team principal Frederic Vasseur will remain as a part of the new team 

“The extension of our relationship with Alfa Romeo is a true statement of intent from both parties. In Sauber, Alfa Romeo found a committed, performance-driven partner to which they could entrust their brand: we are honoured to carry the heritage and past success of Alfa Romeo in our name. Both parties always intended for this relationship to bear fruit in the long term: we have laid some solid foundations in the last three season and we aim to reap the rewards of this work in 2021 and beyond,” said team principal Frederic Vasseur at the announcement. 

“Racing and performance are at the core of Alfa Romeo's DNA,” added Michael Manley, CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles which also is the parent for the Scuderia Ferrari team. 

“The partnership with Sauber Group also allows our customers to benefit from exclusive racing know-how, as it is the case of the all-new Giulia GTA and GTAm, which incorporate Sauber Engineering's technical input particularly as it relates to advanced aerodynamics.,” he added. 

Raikkonen is the most experienced driver on the grid and 
Photo Credit: AFP

Alfa Romeo is yet to confirm its 2021 driver line up but widely F1's most experienced driver Kimi Raikkonen is expected to be retained for his 18th season in the sport. Raikkonen recently at the Portuguese GP showed of his skills in a blinding first lap where he leaped the grid from P16 to P6 in one lap which is now being considered as one of the greatest single lap performances in the history of the sport. His teammate Antonio Giovinazzi's future is murky as there are reports that Alfa Romeo will sign Mick Schumacher in his place. But there is lot of back and forth on this.