The Sauber-run Alfa Romeo outfit has become the first Formula 1 team to reveal its actual 2023 car.
Haas, Red Bull and Williams launched their new liveries but did so on cars that will have little resemblance to those rolled out during the sole pre-season test in Bahrain in two weeks’ time.
But now Alfa Romeo has unveiled its C43 during an online launch on Tuesday morning, featuring a new red and black livery. It is due to make its track debut in a shakedown run at Barcelona later this week.
The car is the first to feature the team’s new title sponsor Stake after former main partner Orlen switched to AlphaTauri over the winter break.
Orlen’s exit also marked the end of Robert Kubica’s tenure with the team and leaves the 2022 F2 runner-up Theo Pourchaire as the team’s sole reserve driver – although it will have access to its Alfa Romeo driver Antonio Giovinazzi, who is serving as one of Ferrari’s reserves.
A title sponsorship switch wasn’t the only off-season change at Sauber as Andreas Seidl has been brought in as the team’s new CEO.
McLaren convert Seidl will oversee the team’s transition into becoming the Audi works team in 2026.
Seidl has not named a team principal and has instead appointed Alessandro Alunni Bravi as official ‘team representative’ for now.
This year marks the final year of Alfa Romeo’s branding deal with the Sauber team that Audi has already purchased a minor stake in last month.
Audi will gradually take over Sauber and eventually have a majority stake in the company with current owner Finn Rausing retaining a minority shareholding.
Audi has also started work on its F1 engine project with the expansion of its Neuburg facility – where Audi’s Dakar, Formula E, DTM and Le Mans cars have been built since 2014 – amid an influx of new staff and construction on a new building there.
It hopes to have a test engine ready by 2025 so it can be run in a mule car ahead of the introduction of the new engine regulations in 2026.
Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou will remain as Alfa Romeo’s drivers for a second consecutive season.
They narrowly helped Alfa Romeo hold onto sixth place in the constructors’ championship on countback after Aston Martin’s late-season charge left them level on points.
