The end of Alfa Romeo in Formula 1? The Italian carmaker will end its collaboration with Sauber, what does this have to do with Audi?

And it’s definite – Alfa Romeo has announced that it will end its partnership with Sauber after 2023 and may leave Formula 1 altogether. The news comes hours after German carmaker Audi confirmed its entry into F1. So will it become Sauber’s new partner?

The collaboration between Alfa Romeo and Swiss Sauber will end at the end of the 2023 season, that much is now clear. The Italian manufacturer first partnered with Sauber in 2018 as a main sponsor, before the team was renamed Alfa Romeo Racing the following year.

Although this was primarily a sponsorship deal, there was some technological assistance through the merger with parent company Alfa Stellantis, which benefited Alfa Romeo’s road car division.

Audi as Sauber’s new partner? It would make sense…

Audi officially confirmed its entry into Formula 1 today, 26 August, as an engine supplier. However, the German carmaker has not yet revealed which F1 team it will join forces with. However, the latest news about the future end of the partnership between Sauber and Alfa Romeo reveals a lot.

For it is no secret that Audi is strongly linked to Sauber, whose headquarters in Hinwil is 400 kilometres away from the Audi Sport factory in Neuburg.

What’s more, Audi’s current CEO Markus Duesmann was head of development at Sauber from 2007 to 2009, when the Swiss company entered into a partnership with BMW. Audi is expected to buy 25% of the Sauber team in each of 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Today, Sauber virtually races in Formula One under the Alfa Romeo name and uses Ferrari engines in the guts of its monoposts.

It can be assumed that Sauber will stay with these engines until 2025, before the new power unit rules come into force from the 2026 season. However, Alfa Romeo’s technological and “sponsorship” collaboration with Sauber will end at the end of next year.

Alfa Romeo’s future in Formula 1

So what does Alfa Romeo have in store for the future? The Italian carmaker has said it will assess its future in Formula 1 as it enters the final 18 months of its partnership with Sauber.

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

As thebrand’s economic and industrial turnaround takes place in 2022, Alfa Romeo will now evaluate the options on the table and decide which is the best one to maintain the brand’s long-term strategy and position,” said Alfa Romeo, whose words were quoted by Racing News 365.

F1, Racing News 365