Last year, the partnership between Alfa Romeo and Sauber in Formula 1 came to an end. The famous Italian brand from the Stellantis group decided not to continue in the top category, although it is considering other projects in motorsport.
Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis, clarified quoted by grandprix.com that he holds F1 in high regard as a marketing tool, praising the budget cap:
“When you look at the return on investment, Formula 1 is probably the most efficient marketing tool. In terms of media impact, it is the best category. Before the budget cap, expenses were between 100 million and 500 million euros per year. The budget cap is a good tool to level costs and return on investment, and that is why Formula 1 is the best marketing tool in competition.”
The top category is also seen as an ideal stage to develop hybrid technology, but the executive questioned the path taken by the championship when within a decade combustion engines are expected to be banned from the roads: “This is a question for the leaders of Formula 1. What will they do when the automotive industry faces the ban on combustion engines. So far they have used hybrid technology to contribute to the development of batteries and various other components, but they still have this strategic problem to solve.”
There are also ethical issues that keep Alfa Romeo away from F1, according to Tavares: ‘We need to make an ethical judgment and think about the people I have in the factory, who count every penny to be able to compete in the zero emissions mobility market against Asian competitors. How can I look at my employees and tell them that we spend 20 million euros in Formula 1 while they ask for a few cents? It is an ethical problem and I am very sensitive to it, because I am very close to my employees. Ethically, this is also a problem for Formula 1’.
That said, the leader of Stellantis assured that Alfa Romeo will not stay away from motorsport for long: ‘Motorsport is part of the brand’s DNA. The decision will not be made before the end of the year most likely, but Alfa Romeo will definitely come back. All sports championships go through cycles – a reasonable start, an expansion, an explosion, a decline and then start over. So it is essential to enter a championship at the right time’.
