Alfa had a brilliant deal by any standards. The Milanese company wasn’t the first manufacturer to back someone else’s car package, as for example Infiniti and then Aston Martin did just that with Red Bull. But Alfa managed to turn what was a straight sponsorship deal when it started in 2018 into badging the whole car.
The fact that Alfa and power unit supplier Ferrari are historically part of the same wider family leant some legitimacy to the exercise. But Alfa got a mega deal because they got the car name at a bargain price, as Sauber sources are not shy of pointing out.
The team needed the money and was willing to sell the chassis name relatively cheaply essentially because Alfa was a sexy badge with which to be associated, and which obviously helped to attract other sponsors. It worked for both parties.
However early last year it became increasingly apparent that Sauber would be hooking up with Audi for 2026. It thus became obvious that the Alfa deal had a limited lifespan, and it was agreed to end it after just one more season in 2023.
There’s no doubt that Alfa is a little frustrated to be losing its toehold at the top level of the sport, as it has gained a lot from its temporary and bargain-basement return.
Realistically if it wanted to stay in 2024 the only option would be to move to Haas, the only other Ferrari-engined team. However it’s pretty obvious that car naming rights are not up for grabs there, and an Alfa deal has little appeal for Haas.
Meanwhile the transition to the Audi era has already started in Hinwil, with former McLaren boss Andreas Seidl – a man well versed in the VW Group having previously run the Porsche LMP1 programme – coming in as CEO. His brief is to build up the team over the next few years before the name over the door is changed at the end of 2025.
Given the fuss over Audi’s arrival and the recent announcement that the first part of the purchase of Sauber shares had gone through it was interesting to witness a little cameo at a pre-launch Alfa event in Hinwil, the week before the official unveil.