With talks of Alfa Romeo (formerly Sauber) leaving F1 at the end of 2021, it appears that paddock rumour sees Renault taking an interest in joining the Swiss-based team as a possible ‘B’ team.
Much depends on the forthcoming decisions at the board level taken by the Stellantis group. Indeed the merger of the PSA (Peugeot) and FCA (Fiat-Chrysler) groups will have a huge impact as to what to do with their Formula 1 investment.
Uniting Fiat Chrysler brands including Alfa Romeo with Peugeot names like Citroen, Opel and Vauxhall, calling themselves Stellantis, thus creating the 4th largest group in the world, means that hard choices might be made when it comes to current investments in motorsport, including the title sponsorship of Sauber with the Alfa Romeo branding.
“In the plans of the new global auto giant, which will arise from the merger between FCA and PSA, there will also be a redefining of the sporting activities of the group’s brands,” confirms Luigi Perna from the Italian press.
“This will start with Alfa Romeo, sponsor of the Sauber team, and whether or not to maintain the historic brand in Formula 1. This will depend on the new industrial plans resulting from the merger of the two groups PSA and FCA, negotiations on which have lasted more than a year”.
Alfa Romeo has had a very checkered history in Formula 1, with some incredible success in the early years, continuing on from their pre-war successes in Grand Prix racing. Alas, since several attempts to rejoin as a successful constructor and engine supplier in F1, rarely has there been anything close to what was achieved with Giuseppe Farina and Juan Manuel Fangio in 1950 and 1951.
