Will Alfa Romeo make the switch from F1 to Formula E in 2022?
- GPblog.com
Alfa Romeo has committed to Sauber's Formula 1 project for 2021, but that could change in 2022. According to a reliable source, Alfa Romeo is on its way to Formula E.
Alfa Romeo has returned to Formula 1 in recent years. The team that won the first ever Formula One World Championship returned to the side of Sauber's car, becoming the full name-carrier of the project in 2019. However, Alfa Romeo is also looking at other opportunities outside F1.
Alfa Romeo shows interest in Formula E
It was only very late that it was announced that Alfa Romeo would also be seen in F1 in 2021, and it was made clear that it would only be a one-year deal. This is remarkable, as all other major manufacturers stay in the sport for longer. Alfa Romeo is more of a name-carrier for the Sauber project with an engine from Ferrari.
However, according to the usually reliable The Race, the Fiat group is hinting at participation in Formula E. The names most often linked to this project are Alfa Romeo and Maserati. From 2022, FE will start with a budget cap, similar to Formula 1, and teams will also have to conform to four years of FE.
From F1 to Formula E
Formula E wants to prevent teams walking away during a 'generation'. Last year, Audi and BMW decided to quit, while the Gen2 cars will be driven for one more year. So if Alfa Romeo or Maserati want to enter Formula E from 2022, they will have to commit to the new Gen3 car for four years.
After McLaren, Mercedes and Renault, Alfa Romeo is the fourth F1 team to show interest in the electric class. Mahindra and DS Automobiles are the only teams that have actually signed up for Gen3, but there are more in the running. Maserati is less likely to want to enter the Fe, but The Race reports that they have recently built relationships with key people in FE.