Alfa Romeo have unveiled a special one-off livery for the 2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix to celebrate the launch of their new luxury SUV, the Alfa Romeo Tonale.
The new colours look very similar to the special livery used at the 2021 Italian GP, with the traditional red and white colours in the front half of the car, and a splash of green on the engine cover and sidepod to replicate the Italian flag.
“To mark this important step in Alfa Romeo’s metamorphosis towards a new era of connectivity and electrification, and to reinforce the brand’s link to its noble sporting heritage, the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Orlen C42s of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu will sport a special livery with a full-green engine cover featuring Tonale’s signature headlights shape,” said a team statement.
“The colour green is a nod to the Montreal Green hue used in Tonale’s launch, but also a strong link to Alfa Romeo’s identity for the transition to a more responsible and sustainable concept of mobility, while remaining faithful to its sportiness, driving dynamics and premium quality.”
Alfa Romeo fans can experience the new livery in all its glory through an exclusive augmented reality which will be provided by team partners JigSpace.
What can Alfa Romeo expect at the Azerbaijan GP?
Monaco was set to suit the characteristics of the C42, but a troubled Friday for Bottas put him on the backfoot, although he was still able to reach Q3 and maintained his streak of finishing in the points at every race he has seen the chequered flag this year.
The Baku City Circuit relies on strong mechanical grip and a high top speed, both are strengths of the Alfa Romeo so they could be on the coattails of Mercedes this weekend.
“Baku is a place with both good and bad memories for me, so I definitely hope to add some more of the pleasant kind this weekend,” said Bottas, who is eighth in the F1 driver standings.
“It’s crucial we can have a trouble-free weekend: we have been having some good results despite some Friday issues so far, and if we were to fix these, we could really see the full potential of our package.
“We know we can fight towards the front when we do it and it has to be the aim here as well. This is a track that can produce some chaotic races so we will need to be ready to make the most of any opportunity. It could be a lot of fun on Sunday.”
Alfa Romeo are currently fifth in the constructors’ championship, 18 points behind McLaren.
