Alfa Romeo Sauber reveals 2018 livery concept

The rebranded Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 team has teased its potential 2018 car colours with a livery concept during the team’s presentation in Milan.

After Sauber confirmed its new technical and title sponsorship deal with Alfa Romeo from next season, the Swiss squad has taken on Ferrari junior Charles Leclerc alongside the retained Marcus Ericsson with Antonio Giovinazzi confirmed as its third driver.

During the team launch presentation at Alfa Romeo’s museum in Milan, Sauber also unveiled its concept livery for next season with a predominantly white look with a red engine cover carrying the Alfa Romeo logo.

The team says the design wouldn’t be the finished livery for the 2018 season with small tweaks expected along with any potential arrival of new sponsors on the car but team colours would change from blue and white to red and white in line with the Alfa Romeo sponsorship deal.

Alfa Romeo is owned by the FCA Group and is sister brand to Ferrari with Sauber set to receive 2018 Ferrari power units next season.

The Swiss team will also run with a tweaked logo from next season which incorporates both the Alfa Romeo and Sauber emblems.

After a takeover from Swedish investors in 2016, Sauber has endured its worst season in F1 this year by finishing bottom of the World Constructors’ championship for the first time in its history. With its new partnership with the Italian brand, Sauber is eager to close the gap on the midfield pack with nearest rivals McLaren expected to improve having switched to Renault power units for 2018.

Alfa Romeo Sauber is likely to field the only rookie on the 2018 grid in Leclerc but the Monegasque driver has won the GP3 and Formula 2 titles in consecutive years on his way up to F1. Ericsson has also been retained by the team but hasn’t achieved a points finish since the 2015 Italian Grand Prix.