“Alfa Romeo, the first World Champion in F1 history” – Sauber is happy to continue in Formula 1 with the automobile giants as a loyal partner.
Sauber has been in Formula 1 since 1993, making them one of the oldest on the current grid. They have partnered with the likes of Mercedes-Benz, Red Bull, BMW, and now Alfa Romeo. The Italians have decided to stick with Sauber for yet another year. This, as per Motorsport.com, has pleased Alfa Romeo boss Frederic Vasseur.
“This is crucial for us. I don’t want to talk about the financial side of the matter, although it certainly plays a role. But it’s also the motivation that a team gets and the fact you can attract more people and let the company develop for the future. We need this kind of internal motivation.”
“The fact that Alfa Romeo, the first World Champion in F1 history, wants to expand co-operation with us is not only a reward but also the next step for our company.”
Through its iterations as Sauber Mercedes, Sauber Ford, Sauber Petronas, BMW Sauber and Alfa Romeo, the Swiss #F1 team has fielded 30 drivers in grands prix racing.@eddstrawF1 ranks all 30:https://t.co/higZx0ejr2
— The Race (@wearetherace) January 4, 2021
Alfa Romeo and Sauber combine outside of F1 too
The Swiss and the Italian majors combine for non-F1 projects too, which helps their partnership become stronger. Sauber might have had multiple partners, but having Alfa Romeo, which is like a junior team to Ferrari is a big scoop.
“We also work together in the automotive field, which is a good collaboration for us. We have developed the GTA and GTAm in our factory and wind tunnel for 2020.”
“For us, it is important to build that kind of co-operation, even if it is outside of Formula 1. Of course, we know we also need to improve our performance on the track. We need to improve not only our aerodynamic development but also our global approach. But the automotive side is crucial if you want to build the collaboration between a brand and a Formula 1 team.”
