Formula 1 News: Alfa Romeo exits F1 after Sunday

Despite rumors that the Alfa Romeo branding might switch to the Haas team, Alfa Romeo will retire from Formula 1 after this season.

Haas now has MoneyGram as its title sponsor and there was no room for Alfa Romeo.

The Italian car brand will take to the grid for the final time at the championship finale in Abu Dhabi this weekend.

The Alfa Romeo branding is currently applied to cars run by Sauber Motorsport, which is expected to run under its own branding in 2024 and 2025 before its new partnership with F1 newcomer Audi takes effect in 2026.

Alfa Romeo had already confirmed its partnership with the Swiss motorsport engineering outfit would end after 2023.

The move brings to an end Alfa Romeo’s second stint in Formula 1. The Italian brand originally raced in the championship from 1950 until 1988 – as both a manufacturer and an engine supplier, winning the first Drivers’ World Championship in 1950 with Nino Farina and the 1951 title with Juan Manuel Fangio.

Its current drivers are Zhou Guanyu and Valterri Bottas, who recently confirmed they will continue to race for the team in the 2024 season.

In an official statement ahead of its last race, Alfa Romeo thanked “everyone who shared these unforgettable years”, including the late Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne, who was a key backer of the Alfa-Sauber partnership in 2018.

It also thanked drivers past and present, including Charles Leclerc, Antonio Giovinazzi and Kimi Raikkonen, and ex-team boss Fred Vasseur, who is now at Ferrari.

Alfa Romeo CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato said: “When you close such an important chapter in the history of a brand, it’s time to take stock. For Alfa Romeo, this F1 adventure represented an international showcase at the highest level, as well as a profound human and sporting experience.

“In my humble opinion, the return on investment from the work we have done here has been the most positive in my entire career. The benefits in terms of visibility serve as a benchmark for the entire Stellantis group.

“Alfa Romeo has competition in its DNA and will return to thrill its fans as soon as possible, when the conditions are right.”

The Sauber-Alfa C43 car will wear a commemorative livery in Abu Dhabi to mark six years of racing together.