Alfa Romeo and Sauber the first step to bigger things?

Alfa Romeo in Formula 1 were a big deal during the fifties, the iconic marque won the inaugural F1 World Championship of Drivers with Nino Farina and Juan Manuel Fangio.

Thereafter, from 1961 until 1979, Alfa Romeo participated as engine supplier for several F1 teams before a fully fledged factory foray beginning in 1979 as a constructor, but with less success and eventually, the company withdrew from Formula 1 in 1985.

The new deal with Sauber is essentially a branding exercise with room for growth, while also providing Ferrari with some extra bargaining muscle as the sport looks for direction beyond 2020.

Should an engine solution that ticks all the boxes, for all concerned be reached in forthcoming years, there is room for expansion and a full return as a constructor could well be on the cards.

On the driver front, the team have opted to stick with Marcus Ericsson whose connections with the team owners no doubt paved the way for an extension to his deal which many feel is not deserved in the light of the fact that he was soundly outperformed by Pascal Wehrlein this season and Felipe Nasr a year earlier.

Money clearly talked in this decision, but team chief Frederic Vassuer explained, "Marcus is an experienced Formula 1 driver, who knows the procedures and the team well, after having worked together for the past three years. He is a team player, and has a very positive attitude."

Ericsson said on the occasion of the launch, “First of all, I would like to congratulate the team on the new partnership with Alfa Romeo. It is a great honour for me to be driving for this team in 2018, and I am excited and proud to be part of this promising journey. I am confident that I can add to the knowledge and experience of the team."

On the adventurous side, the team opted to give Ferrari backed junior Charles Leclerc his F1 break by handing him the second seat.

“I am very happy to be entering Formula One in 2018,” Leclerc told reporters. “First and foremost, I would like to thank Ferrari for their support. I would also like to thank Sauber for their trust and confidence in me as a driver and look forward to joining the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team for the upcoming season.

“It was a great experience to drive a few FP1 sessions and tyre tests for the Sauber F1 Team in 2017, during which the team welcomed me straight away. It is a great working environment, and I already feel confident and comfortable here. In 2018, my aim will be to gain more experience in Formula One, and to bring as much value to the team as possible in return,” added the highly rated 20 year old from Monaco.

Also in the wings, with several FP1 sessions on the cards, is Ferrari backed Antonio Giovinazzi, who was given two grand prix outings earlier this season (replacing injured Wehrlein) but it was a very expensive debut as the Italian proved to be fast but accident-prone.

Despite an unambitious driver line-up, the team is in a building process and for now it is fitting to welcome Alfa Romeo to the pinnacle of the sport if only because of the passion that the brand conjures.

It must be remembered that Sauber were the team which Mercedes used as a first step in their return to Formula 1. It was also the outfit which was chosen by BMW to carry the German manufacturer's Formula 1 aspirations.

Thus it would not be way off kilter to assume that the Alfa Romeo partnership could evolve and become a much more significant force in years to come. But right now it all depends on the direction the sport will take in the future.