February 11th will mark a special day for Scuderia AlphaTauri ahead of the 2023 Formula One season as the team launches its new car livery in New York City, the Faenza-based squad revealed on Friday through social media.
Scuderia AlphaTauri will take off the covers of its new challenger, the AT04, on February 11th in ‘The City That Never Sleeps,’ New York.
The American date seems to suit perfectly an FIA Formula One World Championship calendar year, which features three Grand Prix on U.S. soil, Miami, Austin, and Las Vegas - the latter returning to the series after a 40-year absence.
Red Bull’s sister brand has become the third Formula One team to make official their launch dates, following Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team (February 13th) and Scuderia Ferrari (February 14th).
However, AlphaTauri’s post on social media suggests it will give a glimpse of what is yet in store for the upcoming season, revealing its new livery in NYC instead of the AT04 challenger itself.
Winter testing in Bahrain on February 23rd may well be the day the AT04 debuts on track with Nyck de Vries and Yuki Tsunoda at the wheel.
In 2023, de Vries, the 2020-21 FIA Formula E World Champion, will contest his maiden season at the pinnacle of motorsport. He stands in for Frenchman Pierre Gasly, departing to Alpine F1.
In 2020, the Honda-powered outfit, led by Franz Tost since 2005, captured its maiden Formula One victory on home soil (Monza) at the hands of Gasly, who took his first career win in the series with the Scuderia.
Speaking about the driver’s switch, Tost outlined: “Scuderia AlphaTauri had a very successful time with Pierre. We will never forget his fantastic victory in Monza and his podium finishes in Brazil and Azerbaijan. I want to thank Pierre for all the effort he’s put into the team in the last years, and I wish him all the best for his future.”
Adding: “Now, we are pleased to start a new chapter with Nyck, who’s very much welcome at Scuderia AlphaTauri. He is a very high skilled driver, as he won in all the categories he competed in, with many races and championships under his belt.
“His last big success was winning the Formula E World Championship, clear evidence he is a very competitive driver who deserves a seat in F1.”
The 27-year-old earned his place with the outfit following a stand-in appearance for Williams’ Alex Albon - unwell due to appendicitis, at the Italian Grand Prix.
The Dutchman’s impressive run in Monza, crossing the finish line in ninth place on his F1 race debut, left a good impression within the paddock.
The 2019 FIA Formula 2 champion made the most of a last-minute opportunity, showcasing his skills behind the wheel, which eventually would lead AlphaTauri to sign the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team reserve driver for the upcoming season.
Last October, following the official confirmation of his move to Formula One, de Vries commented: “After Formula 2, I took a slightly different path with motorsport, but F1 has always been my dream, and I’m grateful to be able to fulfill it.
“I’ve had a lot of chances to experience the 2022 car this year, and I think that has put me in a great position for the upcoming season; I hope this has helped to prepare me for what is to come.”
In 2022, the FIA introduced significant changes to the technical regulations. In terms of results, AlphaTauri did not deliver as expected, struggling to find pace and lacking reliability across the season.
The team finished ninth in the constructors’ championship standings, scoring 35 points.
