As the exclusive photo from Motorsport.com shows, the car has taken to the track in camouflage livery which is expected to be used in testing as well.
New driver Valtteri Bottas got behind the wheel of the car, but wearing a black helmet, as he completed the opening laps just before midday in Italy, on a rain-soaked Fiorano circuit.
Alfa Romeo announced that it would not present its new car for F1 2022 before the first pre-season test next week at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain.
On the contrary, Alfa Romeo revealed that the presentation of the C42 will be on February 27, two days after that first round of tests ends.
However, the team has decided to use one of the two filming days each team is allowed to shakedown the car, which will give it valuable insight ahead of official testing.
Alfa Romeo had previously tested in February with a special Valentine’s Day livery , as they did in both 2019 and 2020.
Photo by: Davide Cavazza
Photo by: Davide Cavazza
The Swiss team enters the 2022 season with a completely revamped line-up, featuring former Mercedes driver Bottas and newly promoted Formula 2 driver Guanyu Zhou .
Bottas and Zhou replace Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi this year, and will look to take Alfa Romeo one step forward after falling to ninth in the 2021 constructors’ championship.
The arrival of Guanyu Zhou will mean significant financial support for the team thanks to Chinese sponsors that will allow Alfa Romeo to be close to the budget limit. Team principal Frederic Vasseur told Motorsport.com last December that this would result in a “different mindset” for the team moving forward.
The team has undergone a subtle name change for the new season, from Alfa Romeo Racing to Alfa Romeo F1 Team , and will continue to be the main sponsor of Orlen, who is sponsor of its reserve driver Robert Kubica.
This Alfa Romeo shakedown at Fiorano came a few hours before the Williams team presents its livery for the 2022 season.
