Sauber Formula 1 announced it reached a multi-year technical and commercial partnership agreement with Alfa Romeo. The Italian car manufacturer, which is part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, will be joining Sauber as title sponsor from '18. Alfa Romeo is returning to F1 after an absence of more than 30 years. The partnership, which includes a strategic, commercial and technological cooperation between Alfa Romeo and Sauber, will enable the exchange of engineering and technical know-how and provide new opportunities for the two organizations within F1 and beyond. From '18, the team will be known as the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team. The '18 F1 car will bear the Alfa Romeo logo, and will be equipped with the '18 Ferrari power units (Sauber). In London, Jack de Menezes reported the arrival of the Alfa Romeo partnership could see Sauber strengthen its ties with Ferrari, "with both of the Italian marques coming under the Fiat umbrella." Ferrari has supplied Sauber with engines since '97, "barring a few years" when the team turned to BMW, "and that relationship will continue next year." Ferrari has "been vocal" in its threat to pull out of F1 if the proposed '21 engine regulations are not altered to favor Ferrari's "approach to the sport." However, "this announcement could well strengthen Ferrari’s stance in F1, given that Sauber will effectively be a junior team" for it in the "same ilk as Toro Rosso is for Red Bull" (INDEPENDENT, 11/29). The BBC's Andrew Benson reported Sauber is expected to run Ferrari "protege" Charles Leclerc next season. The other car will be raced by either current driver Marcus Ericsson of Sweden or Ferrari reserve Antonio Giovinazzi. The Alfa Romeo logo has been on the Ferrari cars this season but this will be the brand's highest-profile involvement in F1 since '85, "the final year of a seven-year involvement as a factory team" (BBC, 11/29). REUTERS' Alan Baldwin reported Ferrari finished the '17 season runner-up to Mercedes in the constructors' championship, while Sauber was last (REUTERS, 11/29).
