Every line, shape and microgram of weight translate into seconds on the track when it comes to Formula 1 design and the launch of new cars for the new season is eagerly awaited by race fans – even if the most significant updates are well hidden from public scrutiny.
So, F1 launches tend to be a healthy dose of smoke and mirrors spectacle and Alfa Romeo obliged with the spectacular ceremony in the impressive setting of the Grand Theatre, in Poland’s capital city, Warsaw.
Team drivers, Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi, and reserve driver, Robert Kubica, entered the stage as did the C41, in a striking new livery.
Featuring a novel colour scheme, designed by Alfa Romeo’s Centro Stile with the now traditional red and white colours of the team, the car, designed under the coordination of Technical Director, Jan Monchaux, represents an evolution of the C39 that competed in the 2020 season.
Owing to the restrictions imposed by the regulations, the car carries over many of the components of its predecessor, while still striking with its renewed appearance, in particular in regard to the nosecone, an area on which the team chose to focus its development tokens.
Under the bodywork, a new Ferrari engine lies in wait, ready to roar in less than a week, when the team embarks onto a new season with the C41’s shakedown in Barcelona on Friday.
The Alfa Romeo logo is flanked by the Quadrifoglio – four-leaf clover – traditionally associated with Alfa Romeo’s racing efforts, and the logo of Autodelta, the brand’s legendary racing team. These logos adorn the bodywork, contributing to the creation of one of the standout cars on the grid – a classic design that embodies the passion and tradition of the marques it represents.
Alfa Romeo is once again alongside Sauber Motorsport for the 2021 Formula One World Championship but, the partnership extends beyond racing. The collaboration, both technical and commercial, allows Sauber Engineering’s technical expertise to be transferred to Alfa Romeo road car production. In particular, the Giulia GTA project benefits from this long-standing partnership leveraging the priceless technical know-how of Sauber AG Engineering and Aerodynamics divisions,
Frédéric Vasseur, Team Principal Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN and CEO Sauber Motorsport AG, says: “The launch of a new car is always an emotional moment, the culmination of months of effort from everyone back at the factory and the start of a new adventure. I think the philosophy upon which the team is based remains the same – we have to do a better job tomorrow than we are doing today.
“We finished last season in P8, so we have to target a better result in 2021. To do so, we have to keep improving in each department, trackside and back at HQ. Every team on the grid has very high expectations right now: all the teams expect to do a good job in the winter and to be in a good position for the first race, but soon it will be the time for everyone to show their cards.”
Jan Monchaux, Technical Director Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN, added: “The C41 is the result of a very unusual situation in Formula One, in which the regulations have made us unable to develop an entire new car for this year. For this reason, our 2021 car shares a lot of common parts with the C39, with the exception of those which the regulations forced us to change – such as the floor – and the nosecone, in which we invested our two development tokens.
“This means we will know the car much better than usual when we get to testing, but it’s still going to be crucial to make the most of those three days to verify that reality matches our expectations and to get to know the new tyres. We are ready for the new season and we can’t wait to see our new car on track.”
