Alfa Romeo Sauber unveils C37 F1 car

The rebranded Alfa Romeo Sauber Formula 1 team has revealed its 2018 challenger - the C37 - ahead of pre-season testing next week.

Last year Sauber confirmed a new title sponsor deal with Alfa Romeo’s parent company Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, marking the Italian marque’s return to F1 after 30 years away from the sport.

The announcement strengthened Sauber’s links to Ferrari, with the outfit ditching its planned engine deal with Honda to run latest-spec Ferrari power units for 2018.

Sauber’s new technical and commercial ties with Alfa Romeo have clearly influenced its 2018 F1 car livery, with the team moving away from the blue-based design used in recent years to a new red and white scheme. Additional navy blue trim running all the way along the car's sidepod and nose down to the front wing has been included. 

Its C37 features a white Halo cockpit protection device and also carries Alfa Romeo branding on a predominantly red engine cover - similar to the initial concept teased during the team’s official presentation in Milan in December - as well as recently announced partners Richard Mille, Claro and Carrera.

Despite a takeover from Swedish investors in 2016, Sauber endured its worst season in F1 last year by finishing bottom of the World Constructors’ championship for the first time in its history.

And here it is !!!!!
What a beauty... Absolutly in love with it See you next week on track pic.twitter.com/AQAWzaE8ww

— Charles Leclerc (@Charles_Leclerc) February 20, 2018

The Swiss squad will be aiming to move up F1’s pecking order in the upcoming campaign and has added highly-rated Ferrari protege Charles Leclerc, who claimed back-to-back GP3 and Formula 2 titles in consecutive years en route to F1, alongside team regular Marcus Ericsson in its driver line-up for 2018.

Alfa Romeo Sauber becomes the fourth F1 team to take the wraps of its new-for-2018 car after Haas, Williams and quadruple world champions Red Bull unveiled their respective F1 challengers.