Sauber F1 Team rebranded as Alfa Romeo Racing for 2019 season

Sauber F1 Team will head into the 2019 season under a new name – Alfa Romeo Racing.

Building on a partnership that began last year, the Swiss team will take on full branding of the Italian car manufacturer, having raced as Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team during the 2018 championship.

Frédéric Vasseur, team principal of Alfa Romeo Racing, said: “It is a pleasure to announce that we will enter the 2019 Formula One World Championship with the team name Alfa Romeo Racing. After initiating the collaboration with our title sponsor Alfa Romeo in 2018, our team made fantastic progress on the technical, commercial and sporting side.

“This has given a boost of motivation to each team member, be that trackside or at the headquarters in Switzerland, as the hard work invested has become reflected in our results. We aim to continue developing every sector of our team while allowing our passion for racing, technology and design to drive us forward.”

It means 2019 will be the first time the name Sauber won’t feature in Formula One since joining it in 1993, although the firm will remain independent from Alfa Romeo and work under its existing leadership structure.

Newly rebranded Alfa Romeo Racing will have 2007 F1 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen making a return to the team, having debuted in the sport with the Swiss outfit in 2001, alongside Italian first-timer Antonio Giovinazzi. The team’s cars will continue to be powered by engines from Ferrari in a partnership that extends back to 2010.

While Alfa Romeo may have a growing Formula One presence in name only, the Italian firm has previous history as a constructor in the sport. The firm has two World Drivers’ Championships dating back to 1950 and 1951, and competed in 110 races from the former until it bowed out as an independent team in 1985. Last season, Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team placed eighth overall in the World Constructors’ Championship standings.