Alfa Romeo Partners With Sauber

ALFA ROMEO RETURNS TO F1 WITH SAUBER

    Sauber have officially partnered with Alfa Romeo in a long-term, multi-year agreement. They will now be known in F1 as the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team from 2018 onward.

    The Italian car manufacturer, founded in Milan back in 1910, has not been in Formula 1 since back in 1985.

    Their return is not only going to bring a new look for the Swiss team, but also the potential for a stronger success as well as the potential for more points and the possibility of their drivers finishing on the podium, something Sauber has not seen since 2012, when Sergio Perez drove alongside Kamui Kobayashi.

    Sauber only scored 5 points during the 2017, all of which were achieved by Pascal Wehrlein, who will not be returning with the team in 2018. Marcus Ericsson, however, will stay put and is partnered with new team-mate and recent 2017 Formula 2 Champion, Charles Leclerc.

    Alfa Romeo has achieved many great things in motorsport over the years and have not only been in Formula 1 but Formula 3 and Indycar as well, so their return is much anticipated and clearly welcomed by fans and the motorsport community.

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk
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Pirelli Reveals 2 New Compounds

PIRELLI REVEALS HYPER-SOFT AND SUPER-HARD COMPOUNDS

    Pirelli has extended its range of slick tyre options for the 2018 Formula 1 season with the introduction of hyper-soft and super-hard compounds.

    Seven different dry weather compounds will be available to teams next year, as well as the intermediate and wet tyres for wet conditions.

    All the compounds will be a step softer than their 2017 counterparts.

    “We realize that, under the unique circumstances of this year, some of our 2017 compounds were perhaps conservative,” said Pirelli’s Head of Car Racing, Mario Isola.

    “The tyres we have created for 2018 address this, in line with the objective of having around two pit stops at most races.

    However, the fundamental design concept of the tyres hasn’t changed next year, preserving the attributes that all drivers have appreciated this year and allowing them to push hard from the start to the finish of each sting."

    “The new range consists of faster tyres that should lead to even harder and more spectacular racing in 2018.”

    The hyper-soft tyre was designed for circuits like Monaco, where maximum mechanical grip is required. The super-hard compound, however, isn’t likely to be seen during a race next year, with some claiming the tyre will only be used for demonstration events.

    Teams got a chance to trial the new tyres during the post season tests last week.

    The colours of the tyres have been switched to make room for the new compounds. The super-hard tyre will be orange, which was used for the hard compound this season. The hard tyre will now be blue, while the medium, softs, super-softs, and ultra-softs remaining white, yellow, red, and purple respectively. The hyper-soft compound will be pink.

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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
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New F1 Logo Revealed

F1 GETS LOGO REVAMP

    After 23 years, Formula 1 bosses have changed the iconic logo of the series to a simpler design.

    As the championship enters a new era under Liberty Media control, a full re-brand is expected, with the new logo taking centre stage.

    F1’s managing director of motorsport, Ross Brawn, said the redesign was essential as the simpler logo will be more effective on digital platforms.

    “It has impact,” he said in a newsletter after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. “The old logo was neither iconic or memorable.

    “It was important to let Formula 1 fans see that we are entering a new era."

    “Our sport is changing and must look to the future and also outside its own environment if it is to attract new fans, especially among the young."

    “We believe the logo exemplifies this desire: in a world where visual communication is ever more important, we must also move in this direction.”

    The design, which was revealed during the podium ceremony after the 2017 season finale, is supposed to represent two cars going around a circuit and crossing the finishing line.

    F1’s marketing head Ellie Norman said the logo is more flexible and versatile.

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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring

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Sauber Confirm 2018 Line-Up

(Image Credit: Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team)

SAUBER CONFIRMS THEIR 2018 DRIVER LINE-UP & REVEAL CONCEPT LIVERY

    Sauber have confirmed their 2018 driver line-up after many rumours and much speculation about if both seats would need to be filled or if one of Sauber's 2017 drivers would stay put.
    
    In the end, Sauber chose to keep long-time driver, Marcus Ericsson, and bring in GP3 (2016) and F2 (2017) Champion, Charles Leclerc. The young talent from Monaco, has proven himself over the last few years and brought race-goers to their feet with his risky, yet precise and accomplished overtaking skills.

    Leclerc recently drove for Sauber in the post-Abu Dhabi GP test and also completed multiple Free Practice sessions during the 2017 season. 

    Sauber finished the 2017 Constructors Championship in 11th, but a new and recent partnership with Alfa Romeo may change things around for the Swiss team. The team also revealed their concept livery, although it won't be confirmed what their 2018 car will actually look like, the concept gives a good idea of what it could be. 

    The car displays a nearly all-white paint scheme, with a huge splash of pearlescent red along the top, where the Alfa Romeo logo has been placed.

    Along with the new concept livery and driver pairing, the team also signed Antonio Giovinazzi as their 2018 reserve driver.

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk
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Post-Season Test - Day #2 - Re-Cap & Times

POST-SEASON TEST - DAY #2 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Lando Norris and Robert Kubica impressed in the final Formula 1 test of 2017.

    It was Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel at the top of the order, but the McLaren reserve driver and F1 race winner were the main attractions in Abu Dhabi.

    Kubica only completed a handful of laps, sharing testing duties for Williams with Sergey Sirotkin, a new addition to the list of drivers rumoured to be replacing the retiring Felipe Massa. Despite completing less than half as many laps as Sirotkin, Kubica was half a second quicker than the Renault reserve driver. His 1m39.485s lap time was also a tenth of a second faster than Lance Stroll’s best lap on Tuesday.

    McLaren’s Lando Norris also impressed in his first outing in an F1 car since being announced as the team’s reserve driver. He was completing the tyre test that was scheduled to take place after the Brazilian Grand Prix and finished 12th fastest, nearly two seconds slower than Stoffel Vandoorne, who finished eighth fastest in the other McLaren despite running into the tyre barriers in the first half of the day.

    Norris has been confirmed at Carlin’s Formula 2 team for the 2018 season.

    At the top of the order, Vettel set his best time of the day – a 1m37.551s – in the first hour of running. He put in 118 laps over the course of the day, but couldn’t better his time. Nobody else could even get close to it, though, with Mercedes Valtteri Bottas the next best and nearly a second slower.

    Max Verstappen was third quickest ahead of Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon, who shared testing duties for Force India.

    Just 0.41s faster than Kubica, Carlos Sainz Jnr was sixth quickest.

    Kevin Magnussen and Sirotkin rounded out the top 10.

    With news that Alfa Romeo would be sponsoring Sauber in 2018 breaking, Ferrari junior driver Charles Leclerc was in the car. He could only manage 11th quickest, but his 1m40.666s lap was more than a second faster than Marcus Ericsson’s best effort on Tuesday.

    Toro Rosso duo Brendon Hartley and Pierre Gasly completed the order.

TIMES: 

1. Sebastian Vettel - 1:37.551 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / 118 Laps
2. Valtteri Bottas - 1:38.490 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland / 141 Laps
3. Max Verstappen - 1:38.736 / Red Bull-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands / 132 Laps
4. Sergio Perez (PM) - 1:38.818 / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico / 52 Laps
5. Esteban Ocon (AM) - 1:39.148 / Force India-Mercedes / France / 72 Laps
6. Carlos Sainz - 1:39.444 / Renault-Renault / Spain / 109 Laps
7. Robert Kubica (PM) - 1:39.485 / Williams-Mercedes / Poland / 28 Laps
8. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:39.782 / McLaren-Honda / Belgium / 105 Laps*
9. Kevin Magnussen - 1:39.810 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark / 124 Laps
10. Serge Sirotkin (AM & PM) - 1:39.947 / Williams-Mercedes / Russia / 86 Laps
11. Charles Leclerc - 1:40.666 / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco / 148 Laps
12. Lando Norris - 1:41.714 / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain / 118 Laps*
13. Brendon Hartley (PM) - 1:43.345 / Toro Rosso-Renault / New Zealand / 61 Laps
14. Pierre Gasly (AM)  - 1:44.827 / Toro Rosso-Renault / France / 63 Laps

* - Notes McLaren is running 2 cars during this test.

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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring

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