Sauber unveils concept Alfa Romeo livery for 2018

2018 F1 season

2nd December 2017, 13:1319th October 2023, 17:57 | Written by Keith Collantine

Sauber has given the first glimpse of how its Alfa Romeo branding could look when it is backed by the engine manufacturer in the 2018 F1 season.

The team revealed a largely blank white car with a red Alfa Romeo engine cover in an event at the Museo Storico Alfa Romeo in Italy, where it also confirmed its driver line-up for next season.

Sauber announced on Wednesday its Ferrari engines will be branded by Alfa Romeo in 2018. The Italian car manufacturer, which like Ferrari is part of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles group, will also be Sauber’s title sponsor.

Alfa Romeo previous competed as a Formula One constructor between 1950 and 1951, and again from 1979 to 1985, winning a total of ten grands prix and powering two drivers to world championship victories.

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81 comments on “Sauber unveils concept Alfa Romeo livery for 2018”

JamieFranklinF1 (@jamiefranklinf1)
2nd December 2017, 13:14

Ironically, after their near miss partnership, it looks a bit like the mid 2000 BAR/Honda
1. Patrick (@paeschli)
  2nd December 2017, 15:06
  
  I think it looks awesome!
2. gunusugeh (@gunusugeh)
  2nd December 2017, 22:35
  
  Are they allowed to win ?
  
  I mean, finished in front of Ferraris ?
  
  :D
  1. JohnH (@johnrkh)
    2nd December 2017, 23:42
    
    I’d say …..um….no!
  2. Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
    3rd December 2017, 3:36
    
    @gunusugeh Unfortunately it’s going to be just like Williams and SFI for Mercedes and STR for RB. The old Sauber Ferrari did end up beating the Ferrari’s quite a few times in 2012 and 2005.
  3. dimaka1256 (@dimaka1256)
    4th December 2017, 7:51
    
    sure they can! but only in some races… um.. for example Singapore 2017!
hahostolze (@hahostolze)
2nd December 2017, 13:15

I was wrong
1. Michael (@freelittlebirds)
  2nd December 2017, 14:24
  
  ha-ha, me too.
  
  The faraway shot tells the whole story.
  
  The only positive is that the Red color is gorgeous. I would have been curious to see it in reverse with the red being the primary color and the white the accent.
  
  It would also be more a fitting color combination for a Swiss car manufacturer.
  
  What a missed opportunity that was…
  1. Ed
    4th December 2017, 13:38
    
    I think it would work better with the whole back end Red and up to the cockpit in white. But its only a concept at the moment
2. BasCB (@bascb)
  2nd December 2017, 17:07
  
  Pretty much. Apart from the lovely colour red on the engine cover, this livery is as bland as the grey/white they had on this car originally (I think it is their 2012 car with an added “modestypanel”)
  1. BasCB (@bascb)
    2nd December 2017, 17:20
    
    Wait no, it is probably their 2013 car, another one with a bland grey livery.
    1. Jere (@jerejj)
      2nd December 2017, 18:53
      
      @bascb It’s the 2011 car (C30).
      1. BasCB (@bascb)
        3rd December 2017, 9:36
        
        Are you sure? It has the coanda type exhausts that the 2013 car had @jerejj.
    2. Jere (@jerejj)
      3rd December 2017, 11:37
      
      @bascb Yes, I can tell from the nose.
      1. BasCB (@bascb)
        3rd December 2017, 12:23
        
        Wrong though @jerejj, the nose can easily be changed (we saw Red Bull doing that with show cars too) – I thought the C30 with an extra panel. The giveaway that it is indeed the C32 is in the exhausts – they started with different exhausts that year but first tested this solution – sloping down with coanda effect and cross-under tunnels inspired by the red bull – at Siverstone. The nose could be either the original or a slightly changed nose, the bottom side with its bulging main part and a very thin end is quite distinguised.
        
        You can also see the difference in profile when you look at F1F articles comparing the C30 with the C31 and the C31 with the C32.
  2. Jabbadap
    2nd December 2017, 17:51
    
    Heh, to me it’s looks like they end up with red paint and they left up the white primer. I suppose there will be the main sponsor place and minor sponsor places on that huge white area though, so this is just the plain sponsorless paint. So the final livery will probably depend on sponsors logos and themes.
3. Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
  3rd December 2017, 3:37
  
  Hey Joe, this ain’t the final livery, I don’t believe that.
Calum Menzies
2nd December 2017, 13:28

I’m so happy that Sauber have managed to get some financial backing in a major new sponsor deal.

It will be far better for them to compete with up-to-date engines and Fred Vasseur’s plan to add 100 new employees can only aid the team’s progress.

My only real grumble is I think it’s a shame they haven’t used some more of compromise of merit and money to pick the second driver to partner the new Formula 2 champion.
WeatherManNX01
2nd December 2017, 13:30

Apparently, the Ferrari/Alfa Romeo money hasn’t come in yet, because they didn’t have enough money to buy a bigger tin of red paint.

Or ANY paint. Or a program to upgrade from Microsoft Paint. Or someone to actually design a livery.
1. verstappen (@verstappen)
  2nd December 2017, 21:38
  
  Yeah I don’t understand why they have the logo distorted instead of the full circle – to begin with…
Sundar Srinivas Harish
2nd December 2017, 13:32

White car with a red engine cover? When they have that awesome coat-of-arms to play with?
1. Islander
  2nd December 2017, 15:44
  
  Is the dragon eating a man?
  1. Machinesteve
    2nd December 2017, 23:43
    
    On the left: the red cross on white field is the symbol of Milan, the hometown of Alfa Romeo.
    
    On the right: the symbol of one of the most important families in the history of Milan (and Italy), the Visconti family – the family that ruled Milan. There are a lot of legends about the origins of this heraldic symbol, representing a mythological animal with a human in his mouth (some believe it to be a dragon, but most likely a snake). During the time of the crusades, Otone Visconti , the founder of Visconti Family and a knight, fought against a noble Saracen knight (nomad from the Syrian Desert that bordered the Roman Empire). Otone beat the Saracen knight and, following the tradition, took the symbols the Saracen carried on his shield: a snake with a human in his mouth. At first glance, it looks like the snake is eating the human. Instead, the human is coming out of the snake a “new man,” purified and renewed.
    
    The meaning: The snake is a circular animal (a snake can assume a circular position) and is an animal of the changing – able to change his skin regularly and totally renew or rebirth himself.
    
    From: https://jalopnik.com/alfa-gives-us-the-official-line-on-whats-up-with-their-1627173581
Akshat
2nd December 2017, 13:39

Pretty boring
Marco
2nd December 2017, 13:48

Considering it is just the launch livery, I’m holding out for a nicer design by the time Sauber hit the grid in Melbourne 2018.

I also find it strange how they used this 2013 Sauber show car to launch this livery, when they could probably have used a spare 2016 or 2017 chassis. Odd…
1. Henrik
  2nd December 2017, 16:45
  
  I was thinking about that too, maybee; they needed a car without a fin, and 2014 cars had the high, ugly, narrow rear wing? So 2013 it is.
2. Jere (@jerejj)
  2nd December 2017, 18:54
  
  @Marco It’s actually the 2011 car (C30).
  1. Marco
    3rd December 2017, 1:25
    
    Yes, it is the 2011 chassis. My bad. Thanks for the correction! Appreciate it! :)
Strontium (@strontium)
2nd December 2017, 14:09

Wow! I would’ve thought that, with Alfa Romeo, they could have produced something that looks incredible. I was wrong
1. BasCB (@bascb)
  2nd December 2017, 17:08
  
  indeed. Sauber back to their “good form” of 2011-13
Phylyp (@phylyp)
2nd December 2017, 14:16

Love the red.
Want more red.
David Not Coulthard (@davidnotcoulthard)
2nd December 2017, 14:19

that front looks ready for Martini
David Not Coulthard (@davidnotcoulthard)
2nd December 2017, 14:20

that Alfa logo looks an awful lot like Chelsea’s
1. Egonovi
  2nd December 2017, 15:07
  
  except for colour, Milan flag, lion vs serpent, position of name
  1. BasCB (@bascb)
    2nd December 2017, 17:11
    
    Well, but the colours are not IN the livery on the engine cover Egonovi
Duncan Snowden
2nd December 2017, 14:21

At least it’s the right shade of red. What there is of it. But wasn’t white with blue stripes a Maserati livery?

Come on, Sauber. 5/10, good effort, must try harder.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
2nd December 2017, 14:29

Wow Wehrlein is out and Ericsson is in! I’m beginning to wonder how Pastor didn’t get the Mercedes seat last year the way thngs are going. He was a shoo-in for the drive and available… I’m convinced that Bernie Ecclestone and Jean Todt will return to F1 as drivers :-)
Philip (@philipgb)
2nd December 2017, 14:41

I always had a soft spot for the 2012 Sauber. That livery but Alfa-rised would have been cool.

Add would their current look, but swap blue for this red.

But as it currently stands it’s a little bland. Maybe throw some green in to Italian flag it.
1. Jere (@jerejj)
  2nd December 2017, 18:55
  
  @philipgb That’s actually the 2011 car (C30).
Joao (@johnmilk)
2nd December 2017, 15:04

I like it, but I’m not an expert
Damon (@damon)
2nd December 2017, 15:42

Guys, on a scale from 1 to 10…. How old do you think was the “graphic designer” that came up with that pathetic “concept”??
montreal95 (@montreal95)
2nd December 2017, 15:51

Pathetic. Hope it’s not the real design. Apart from the engine cover this is just another super boring all white design. Yawn
Mikael André (@meko1971)
2nd December 2017, 16:08

But guys seriously, it’s a concept, not the finished livery.. But it loks a bit plain in all that white..
I hope it’ll be more of the gorgeous metallic red and maybe silver or chrome instead of white?..
1. Mikael André (@meko1971)
  2nd December 2017, 16:09
  
  *looks
Damon (@damon)
2nd December 2017, 16:18

Now THIS concept I like:
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/video/main-gallery/what-could-an-alfa-romeo-f1-car-look-like-101784/

Photo:
https://cdn-3.motorsport.com/images/amp/YvbKz5LY/s1/f1-sauber-f1-team-livery-concept-2017-sauber-alfa-romeo-livery-concept-6690313.jpg
1. BasCB (@bascb)
  2nd December 2017, 17:14
  
  I think it has too much red – could be confused with the Ferrari. And why use a blue stripe+Halo when the Logo uses Green and white? Although the blue still is there on the teams effort, probably for another sponsor?
  
  Their presented livery actually highlights how this car has no real sponsors eccept Alfa.
  1. BasCB (@bascb)
    2nd December 2017, 17:14
    
    They should have at least put on Red circles with the driver numbers on the sidepod, much like they did with this years car. That would make it look at tad less bland
  2. anon
    2nd December 2017, 19:37
    
    @bascb, or it could be that, because this event was set up specifically to showcase the partnership with Alfa Romeo, they deliberately left the rest of the livery blank so that all of the focus would be on the Alfa Romeo branding.
    
    I do agree that the livery @damon has posted to would probably be difficult to distinguish from Ferrari on track, especially from the front. It is also reminiscent of the old Scuderia Italia livery https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/Paris_-_Retromobile_2014_-_BMS_Dallara_Formule_1_-_1989_-_002.jpg – which is probably not the sort of historical comparison that Marchionne wants to draw.
    1. BasCB (@bascb)
      3rd December 2017, 9:38
      
      all great points Anon. I surely hope that this is “just to announce the cooperation” and the new colours that will be used.
2. Patrickl (@patrickl)
  2nd December 2017, 18:12
  
  @damon, Not sure why, but it looks more like an Indycar livery to me.
  1. Mikael André (@meko1971)
    2nd December 2017, 20:27
    
    I kinda like this one!
    1. Mikael André (@meko1971)
      2nd December 2017, 20:28
      1. Mikael André (@meko1971)
        2nd December 2017, 20:30
        
        https://www.motorsport.com/f1/photo/main-gallery/alfa-romeo-concept-livery-6436097/
      2. BasCB (@bascb)
        3rd December 2017, 9:40
        
        Certainly looks far better than was was presented @meko1971, but I think it’s ok if it uses a tad more white, to make it easier to distinguish form the Ferrari on track. And I would love to see them use all the colours of the logo – The Red (also Italian racing colours, so indeed quite a lot of it), then the white but also some bits of green and maybe black too.
budchekov (@budchekov)
2nd December 2017, 17:15

+1
Bio
2nd December 2017, 17:31

Too much white, not enough red…great shade of red tho…
1. Phil Norman (@phil-f1-21)
  2nd December 2017, 19:05
  
  I completely agree. The red is a great shade but there needs to be more of it. Perhaps a larger Alfa logo.
2. George (@george)
  2nd December 2017, 20:54
  
  Pretty much agreed, they can do whatever they want so long as they keep that shade. I guess they want to avoid using too much to differentiate themselves from Ferrari.
Shimks (@shimks)
2nd December 2017, 17:51

Uninspiring livery. Come on, guys!!
Klon (@)
2nd December 2017, 18:51

I would be getting agitated about this boring livery, but then again this is Sauber. A team that has managed to make boring liveries for 18 seasons straight now. I am actually impressed just how consistently lame this team can be.
Jere (@jerejj)
2nd December 2017, 18:56

I prefer the livery color scheme of the last three seasons, but this one looks cool as well.
MtlRacer (@mtlracer)
2nd December 2017, 19:17

Earliest new car launch ever?
1. GSSC
  2nd December 2017, 19:32
  
  I like that the one sponsor logo is a CNBC logo, wonder how CNN feels about that.
dutchtreat (@dutchtreat)
2nd December 2017, 20:09

Instead of bitching about the livery, congratulations to Sauber a terrific lifeline.
Sauber is a Swiss team. The Swiss flag is a white cross on a red field.
New sponsor white logo on a red field….
I like it.
Hemz Shaw (@hemzshaw)
2nd December 2017, 20:23

Even though it is a concept without any guarantee that Sauber cars will end up like it, I did not like anything apart from the paint job on the engine cover. Sure, this was more to announce the Alfa Romeo partnership, and for this purpose it may well have worked.

But no fireworks except the fact that Sauber gets a new identity. For those who suggest this sponsorship gives them a financial lifeline are forgetting that team Sauber secured investments from Longbow Finance, and had enough money to survive. The very reason why they ditched Honda.
Mangy Black Sheep (@mangyblacksheep)
2nd December 2017, 20:27

The livery is distinctive, so I’m okay with it. Though it is giving flashbacks of the 2011 HRT.
JJ
2nd December 2017, 21:05

Coanda exhausts were cool. Needs more red.
sean
2nd December 2017, 21:38

wow, that’s awful.
1. James
  3rd December 2017, 13:29
  
  Yup, I only had to look up Alfa Romeo Martini to see amazing liveries with those colors. Whoever is in charge of livery design at Sauber must also moonlight as a janitor, for a few years now.
  Terrible. Shameful.
Gabriel (@rethla)
2nd December 2017, 21:51

Its looking great and im happy Sauber gets to fly the switzerland colours. Probably will evolve some before next year however so who knows.
Tristan
2nd December 2017, 22:45

It’s not bad, a concept I hope they refine… I think the green biscione could look killer on the white.
JohnH (@johnrkh)
3rd December 2017, 0:11

I’ll worry about the colours when it actually is an Alfa Romeo. Maybe in 2021 with the new engine regs that could happen? Also I would not like the idea of Alfa being the junior team, It has only been politics inside of Fiat that has prevented Alfa from competing with Ferrari.
dutchtreat (@dutchtreat)
3rd December 2017, 0:48

As you know, the Alfa Romeo logo is the weapon/flag of the City of Milan.
I was curious to find out what the snake/dragon was eating to save the city…
It is eating a Saracen.
Maybe another team can make a logo with a dragon eating a Christian so that they are even.
1. Gabriel (@rethla)
  3rd December 2017, 2:56
  
  Yeh a proper jihad team is what we need.
2. Bio
  3rd December 2017, 8:48
  
  Wrong, it’s eating a child, not a Saracen. If you look the older logo which is more detailed you’ll find out by yourself. It came from an old legend back in 1089…
  1. dutchtreat (@dutchtreat)
    3rd December 2017, 21:10
    
    yes you are right that is one of the legends, also it is seen as a rebirth, which makes perfect sense for Sauber
Tom
3rd December 2017, 8:43

Alfa’s back baby! Love it – simple but esthetic. Best looking Sauber ever.
Alfa being back in F1, even if only spiritually, with that gorgeous color and logo, goes a little way to make amends for the anticipated ugliness of next years halo’s.
Marc Thielke (@motor)
3rd December 2017, 15:11

No green four leaf clover? An unacceptable omission.
Luca Nuvolari (@nuvolari71)
3rd December 2017, 16:03

Out of all these childish, boring commentators, is there anyone who can tell me where is Lotus, Tyrrell, Cosworth, Jaguar… those glorious british brands?? where are they? Anyone?
Kenny
3rd December 2017, 22:11

I know Ferrari won’t let them have a primarily red car but there’s far too much white. It’s just a boring awkward design, IMO. They still have plenty of time to work on it…
Pinak Ghosh (@pinakghosh)
4th December 2017, 9:11

Meh livery…surely not the final one.
About the pictures….quality is not the same as other pictures on this forum. The first one is so hazy, seems like taken on a mobile phone.

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81 comments on “Sauber unveils concept Alfa Romeo livery for 2018”