Sauber presented the first Formula 1 car of its new Alfa Romeo partnership on Tuesday, with a "flurry of preceding sponsor announcements" pointing to a "sounder future after a dismal" '17 season, according to Alan Baldwin of REUTERS. The Swiss-based team finished the most recent campaign last overall, with Swedish driver Marcus Ericsson failing to score any points after using a '16 Ferrari engine "rather than the latest specification." Ericsson's previous Mercedes-backed teammate, Pascal Wehrlein, has since departed, with Ferrari "protege" and Formula 2 champion Charles Leclerc taking his place. The new C37 car, with "prominent Alfa branding on a red and white livery" replacing the previous blue and white, was presented on the team's website and across social media. Technical Dir Jörg Zander said, "The aerodynamic concept has changed significantly, and the C37 has several new features in comparison to its predecessor." Sauber Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur said that the target for the season starting in Australia on March 25 is "clear," saying, "We have to catch up with the field. ... The return of Alfa Romeo to Formula 1 sets another milestone in the team's history" (REUTERS, 2/20). In London, James Gray reported Sauber unveiled its car "with a video on YouTube." The "film focuses on the racing history of Alfa Romeo," which includes the '50 and '51 F1 world titles, the latter coming with Juan Manuel Fangio at the wheel (EXPRESS, 2/20). MOTORSPORT's Jonathan Noble reported the new Sauber is fitted with Ferrari's current power unit (MOTORSPORT, 2/20).
RENAULT REVEAL: MOTORSPORT's Lawrence Barretto reported Renault became the fifth F1 team to unveil its new car ahead of the '18 season. The RS18, "sporting a revised livery that features more black than yellow," is the third offering from the French manufacturer since it returned as a works team in '16. It will be driven by Nico Hülkenberg and Carlos Sainz (MOTORSPORT, 2/20).
