Seasonal results: Alfa Romeo – all the news of Formula 1 2022

Alfa Romeo’s sixth place in 2022 – a repeat of the best result in the brand’s history – and Sauber’s best result in the last ten years…

In the 2022 season, Alfa Romeo has completely changed its line-up. Kimi Raikkonen retired – he was replaced by Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas, and the dismissed Antonio Giovinazzi was replaced by Guanyu Zhou – the first Chinese Formula 1 driver. And they both did well. The team has achieved much better results than in 2021.

Created under the direction of technical director Jean Monchaux, the C42 was one of the few not too heavy, which gave it an important advantage at the start of the season. As rivals in the mid-range struggled with their cars’ “childish problems”, Alfa Romeo steadily earned points. The first nine Grand Prix brought the team 51 points, the remaining 13 races – only four.

Unfortunately, the failure in the second part of the season could not be avoided. Rivals added that Alfa Romeo could not make similar progress, so at some stages the car was even inferior to Williams. But that was the strategy. After earning enough points at the start of the season, the team switched to other tasks, realizing that the league would cost too much.

Alfa Romeo was categorically against raising the budget cap during the season. Frederic Vasseur did not view inflation as force majeure and urged rivals to abide by previously passed restrictions, which was eventually done.

Guanyu had a great debut season. He was fast and adequate against the background of his Japanese colleague Yuki Tsunoda, who still lost six points in the individual classification. He spoke confidently to the engineer and the press, cracking jokes and showing with all his looks that he wanted to be his own in the paddock.

Zhou’s best performance in terms of results was in Canada, where he finished eighth, but everyone remembers the British Grand Prix, where at the start the top safety arch of his C42 could not withstand the impact of the car overturning, and only the Halo system saved the Chinese rider.

Russell and Zhou pinched Gasly from both sides, George’s left rear wheel got stuck with Pierre’s right front wheel, his car lost stability and collided with Zhou’s car, which rolled over, flew past the safety zone, and then the protective tire barrier, which was right behind him, crashed into him the grid that separates the track from the spectators.

Guanyu could not get out on his own – marshals and doctors rushed to the scene of the accident, carefully evacuated and for a long time the rider who left the track on a stretcher – he communicated with the team and was able to move. Fortunately, Zhou was not injured – already during the race he was discharged from the medical center.

Bottas relieved the pressure of performance in Mercedes and the constant rivalry with Hamilton. Finn “spread his wings” and enjoyed racing and making good money. He drove confidently around Guanyu, earning 49 points against six of the Chinese, finishing tenth at the end of the season in the individual standings – and giving the team a high position in the Constructors’ Championship.

Bottas’ best finish of the season was fifth in the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. Valtteri started seventh and quickly took advantage of the opposition’s troubles to finish fifth, just half a second behind George Russell in the Mercedes.

Valtteri has repeatedly said that he expects more speed from the team, but at the end of the season he grew a mustache and looked content with life. Its place in the team seems unshakable, even for the period when it becomes factory and will perform with the Audi logo.

The contract with Audi is the most important event for Sauber in the 2022 season. The Alfa Romeo name will remain in Formula 1 for a few more years, and then Peter Sauber’s Swiss team, factory at BMW, will become factory at Audi. Enviable fate!

Frederic Vasseur has been named the main contender for the position of head of the Ferrari team – it is not accepted to refuse such an offer, although the post is very risky and usually leads to the end of a career in Formula 1.

But Audi’s board of directors is behind the scenes – and will appoint their person immediately.