Unlike last season, when the team introduced the C42 livery through social media, on Tuesday, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake literally took the covers off the actual C43 in Switzerland, showing significant changes to the rear suspension and gearbox casing, both redesigned.
The new geometries reveal further changes while adjusting to comply with the technical regulations updated by the FIA ahead of the 2023 Formula One world championship.
The C43 has come to life in style, and as the season kicks off, the development path will continue its natural course by the hand of innovation, which in such a fast-paced environment never ceases.
Jan Monchaux, Technical Director of Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake, explains: “I am very proud of what we have achieved over these last months because creating a new car is always a massive effort from the team.
“This car is an evolution of last year’s, reflecting the new regulations and introducing major changes in the areas where we found improvements to be needed. I hope it’s going to be quicker than the successful car we had last year, that is what matters most, and more reliable as well: we have put a lot of effort in this direction.
“Now, it’s time to get to the track and see how this car performs. I’m happy to get back to racing, and I am confident there will be much more to come from us soon.”
The C43 features a distinctive red and black livery adorning the contender’s smooth silhouette.
The car will hit the track for a two-day shakedown session in Barcelona at the end of this week before heading to Bahrain for pre-season testing, commencing on February 23rd and spanning over three days at the Bahrain International Circuit.
Alessandro Alunni Bravi, Managing Director of Sauber Group and Team Representative, commented: “Bringing a car to life is a long process that touches every department of a racing team. Therefore, it is a moment of great pride to see it unveiled today.
“We chose to do it in front of our fans, close to our home because the launch of a new car is not only a moment to state your objectives for the season ahead, it’s also a time to give back to the people who have supported you, be it in the grandstands, in front of the TV or back at the factory, and express our gratitude for their passion and their belief in our project.”
Alunni Bravi added: “Our new car is the result of months of work, but today is just the beginning of a journey; we need to keep working hard, with humility and dedication, to bring performance to the track. Everyone in the team is committed to this target, and we are confident we will reap the rewards of our work.”
Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu will pair for a second consecutive season, while Theo Pourchaire joins them as the new reserve driver for the team.
“The C43 is finally here, and I cannot wait to bring it out on track. I really like our new livery. I think it’s stunning and a fine evolution from last year’s one,” Bottas said.
Assessing his journey with the outfit, which commenced last season, he outlined: “It’s been an interesting first season with the team, we made some pretty solid progress together, and now there’s only one direction to follow up, higher, and better. There is obviously still work to do and things to improve, but I am confident we have it in ourselves to aim for even higher results this year.”
For his part, Guanyu stressed: “I am looking forward to driving the car in Barcelona in the next days before properly getting the season started with winter testing in Bahrain.”
“The expectation for this year is definitely higher, and I will carry all the experience from my rookie season into 2023. I’m excited for what is coming.”