Alfa Romeo will leave F1 at the end of 2023

In a rather short statement following the news that Audi will join F1 in 2026, Alfa Romeo has announced that it will leave the sport and cut ties with Sauber at the end of the 2023 season.

“Alfa Romeo communicates that its partnership with Sauber Motorsport will end within the end of 2023,” the company said.

“Alfa Romeo announced its return in F1 in 2017 with a long term plan, and in July 2022 has announced the decision to continue its partnership with Sauber also for 2023, given to the promising results of the first half of the season, both in terms of performances, marketing and positive collaboration with the team.

“Since the economic and industrial turnaround of the brand will be achieved in 2022, Alfa Romeo will now evaluate among the many opportunities on the table, and decide which will be the best one to sustain the long term strategy and the positioning of the brand.”

There have of course been strong rumours linking Audi with a takeover of the Sauber team in order to give the VW Group behemoth its full works entry in 2026.

If this is all true, what will happen for Sauber in the resulting two-year gap is anyone’s guess, and TG for one will be sad to see Alfa Romeo leave the sport. 

TEXT Greg Potts