Breaking news
Formula 1
Alfa Romeo's Sauber influence set to grow with tech role
Alfa Romeo's influence at Sauber is set to grow as the Formula 1 team evaluates extending its partnership with the Italian manufacturer on a technical level.
Scott Mitchell
Edited: Mar 29, 2018, 12:40 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Apart from minor branding on its sister manufacturer Ferrari, Alfa has not been involved in F1 since its works team project of 1979-85.
The multi-year collaboration between Sauber and Alfa was announced last December with intentions beyond the significant branding the team's C37s are carrying this season.
Sauber team principal Frederic Vasseur told Motorsport.com the technological aspect had not been defined but is now a priority.
"We didn't do it in a rush but we did it quite fast," said Vasseur. "We agreed on the engine supply agreement at the end of July, August, then we started to discuss about Alfa Romeo and we did the announcement at the beginning of December.
"Trust me that it was quite fast! We have a different project and now we have to investigate different aspects of the collaboration.
"We are more than open to extending the collaboration with Alfa Romeo and will see step by step how and what could be the next options. A technical collaboration will be one."
Sauber's Alfa deal came after it established an arrangement with Ferrari to use its latest-specification engines after a season with a year-old power unit.
Ferrari's other customer team, Haas, utilises a much more specialised technical partnership but Vasseur reiterated Sauber would not explore something similar and that any input like that would be with a beefed-up Alfa deal.
"Ferrari is the engine supplier, Alfa Romeo is the technical partnership," he said. "I don't want to discuss Haas and the Haas project. They are doing a good job. We have our own project.
"We have to define with Alfa Romeo how we can succeed, how we can develop the team, and we will take our own way."
Sauber technical director Jorg Zander joined the team after Audi withdrew from the World Endurance Championship's LMP1 division.
He said the Alfa collaboration had given another boost to the team and was "telling people we're moving on".
"We've got a beautiful car – we want it to perform better – but people do realise there's a big change taking place, definitely since I joined [ahead of the 2017 season]," he told Motorsport.com.
"People see that we grow and have much more confidence. Two years ago the situation was certainly much different and it effects people's philosophy, their confidence, they develop a certain culture.
"Now it's about more positive aspects. People start to create much stronger belief and this is of course very positive but it takes time.
"You can't give a message and people say 'OK' and change it all upside down. It just takes time until they understand the change needed."
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Vergne: Hartley's Toro Rosso call-up "makes me laugh"
Next article Hamilton engine got "close" to limits in Australian GP chase
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Scott Mitchell
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Formula 1
Formula 1
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Formula 1
Formula 1
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
Formula 1
Formula 1
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
More from
Sauber
You Ask The Questions: Robert Kubica
Formula 1
You Ask The Questions: Robert Kubica
Lewis Hamilton 'almost signed for Sauber' before F1 debut, says Peter Sauber
Formula 1
Formula 1
Barcelona-Catalunya Pre-Season Testing
Lewis Hamilton 'almost signed for Sauber' before F1 debut, says Peter Sauber
F1 2025 season highlights: Fans crown Nico Hulkenberg's podium and Lando Norris's title as top moments
Formula 1
Formula 1
F1 2025 season highlights: Fans crown Nico Hulkenberg's podium and Lando Norris's title as top moments
Latest news
Adrien Fourmaux confident of WRC drive despite 2027 uncertainty
WRC
WRC WRC 17 min
Adrien Fourmaux confident of WRC drive despite 2027 uncertainty
Ducati rubbishes claim 2026 MotoGP bike built specifically for Marc Marquez
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Indonesian GP
38 min
Ducati rubbishes claim 2026 MotoGP bike built specifically for Marc Marquez
Toyota: BMW has advantage in Barcelona WEC after private test
WEC
WEC WEC
Barcelona
1 h
Toyota: BMW has advantage in Barcelona WEC after private test
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe