Will Alfa Romeo stay in Formula 1 next season?

The late president of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Sergio Marchionne, was the driving force behind this agreement, which aimed to revive the sporting spirit of the renowned Italian brand.

As part of the deal, the drive systems of Ferrari, currently used by the Haas team, will be rebranded by the Italians in the coming year. This move ensures that Alfa Romeo remains the primary supplier of Formula 1 engines. The arrangement is similar to the one with Sauber and is purely a sponsorship deal.

In the coming year, Audi is set to acquire Sauber’s main share, transforming the Swiss team into a factory under German ownership. As a result, many have been curious about the fate of Alfa Romeo, whose participation in Formula 1 is primarily a marketing strategy rather than a technological contribution to the team’s performance.

Alfa Romeo’s leadership has been exploring various options since last year, including participation in the World Endurance Championship and Le Mans race or remaining in Formula 1.

Negotiations with Haas began in May, and while Alfa Romeo hoped to change the team’s name, Haas was unwilling to do so. Instead, the parties focused on rebranding Ferrari’s engines, a move that has been seen before in recent Formula 1 history, such as when Red Bull used “TAG-Heuer” engines in 2016, and the Alpine drive systems were renamed after the sports brand of the French company.