Alfa Romeo’s ‘mega opportunity’ with extra cash boost

Alfa Romeo team boss Frederic Vasseur says the team’s financial situation should enable them to spend towards the top of the Formula 1 budget cap this season – putting them among the sport’s big hitters in monetary terms.

Vasseur spoke previously about his hope that the new driver line-up of Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou would bring added finances to the team, in an effort to put Alfa Romeo on the “front page” when it comes to Formula 1 sponsorship – and it appears that plan is working.

With Zhou being the sport’s first full-time Chinese driver, opening up myriad marketing opportunities, alongside a multiple race winner in Bottas, Vasseur has said there are deals to be had which has given the Hinwil-based team a chance to have the spending power to get towards the sport’s upper financial limit – which would provide a big boost to their development.

“We still have some negotiations in progress, on the sponsor side and so on, but I think we’ll be very close to the budget cap,” Vasseur told Motorsport.com.

“This is a mega opportunity for the company. I’m convinced of that. I’m not just speaking about the company, but even for the team, to know that you are at the limit. This is a different approach, different mentality. It will be a good push for everybody.”

Vasseur was keen to stress that it has taken, and will continue to take, time to “build up the foundation” of the team and bring themselves forward in the pecking order.

He added that Alfa Romeo are not the only ones looking to bring themselves forward and add to their resources, with others looking to fight their way forward.

Alfa had a disappointing season in 2021, finishing second-last in the Constructors’ standings, and the team principal said there is a primary focus at the team to move “in the right direction” off track, alongside trying to make strides on it.

“It’s a new project [for 2022], it’s a new project developing under the cost cap, and we have a new line-up,” he said. “We’ll have a new engine from Ferrari and we are trying to put everything together.

“But, everybody is doing the same. Everybody is trying to improve on the line-up, everybody is trying to improve on the engine, everybody is recruiting.

“And it’s probably the nicest part of your job that everybody is focused on performance, and convinced that we will do a better job tomorrow. It’s the main motivation.

“But, at the end, you will have someone P1, someone P10. We’ll have good results and bad results. But the most important thing is that we as a company, and from the shareholders to the guy at the factory, everybody is convinced that we are going in the right direction.

“This is important for me, because we need the support from every stakeholder.”

Alfa hope to benefit from Zhou’s popularity in China

Frederic Vasseur hopes that Alfa Romeo will benefit commercially after signing Guanyu Zhou.