Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team confirm driver lineup for 2018

Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team’s line up has confirmed that 2017 Formula 2 Champion Charles Leclerc and Marcus Ericsson will drive for the Hinwil-based outfit next season on Saturday during a press conference at the brand’s Museo Storico Museum in Arese, Italy.

Sauber who finished at the rear of this year’s 10-team championship, scored just five points and made a u-turn on it’s planned Honda alliance for a more stronger Ferrari partnership.

Sauber will be using updated 2018 Ferrari power-trains next season rather than year old engines and last Wednesday confirmed that it reached a three-year technical and commercial partnership with Alfa Romeo.

Alfa Romeo, part of Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles, where Ferrari CEO and Chairman Sergio Marchionne currently is also CEO, will be the team’s title sponsor, which marked the return of the iconic marque’s return to Formula 1 after a 30 year hiatus.

Ferrari Driver Academy driver Charles Leclerc was the favourite to be promoted to Formula 1 and Sauber in 2018, having received the most attention after winning this year’s Formula 2 Championship in his rookie season.

Leclerc who ran some practice sessions for Haas in 2016, was given multiple practice runs through the second half of the 2017 season with Sauber, most recently at the finale in Abu Dhabi.

“I am very happy to be entering Formula One in 2018,” explained Charles Leclerc at the launch. “First and foremost, I would like to thank Ferrari for their support. I would also like to thank Sauber for their trust and confidence in me as a driver, and look forward to joining the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team for the upcoming season,”

“It was a great experience to drive a few FP1 sessions and tyre tests for the Sauber F1 Team in 2017, during which the team welcomed me straight away. It is a great working environment, and I already feel confident and comfortable here. In 2018, my aim will be to gain more experience in Formula One, and to bring as much value to the team as possible in return.” Leclerc concluded.

Leclerc will team up with Marcus Ericsson, who joined the Hinwil-based outfit from Caterham at the end of the 2014 season and is connected with Sauber’s Swedish owners Longbow Finance.

Ericsson who admitted that his position in the team was reliant on the co-operative levels between Ferrari and Sauber, but was successful in securing the seat from Italian Antonio Giovinazzi.

“First of all, I would like to congratulate the team on the new partnership with Alfa Romeo,” said Ericsson.” “It is a great honour for me to be driving for this team in 2018, and I am excited and proud to be part of this promising journey,”

“I am confident that I can add to the knowledge and experience of the team. This winter is going to be very busy, and it will be important to push the development of the car in order to have a good start to the season. I am optimistic, that 2018 can be a big step and a good chance for us to move up in the field.” Ericsson concluded.

Giovinazzi will take the team’s reserve spot, for whom he raced for at this year’s Australian and Chinese Grands Prix, in place of Mercedes protege Pascal Wehrlein and will take part in a few practice one sessions next season.

While Wehrlein, is left without a drive for the 2018 season, following two year each with Manor and Sauber where he has scored six points and a best result of eighth which came at the Spanish Grand Prix.

With Sauber’s line up locked in it just leaves one seat remaining on the grid with Williams yet to announce who will partner Lance Stroll next year.

Read the full statements from the drivers and team principal Frederic Vasseur here: https://www.sauberf1team.com/news/the-sauber-f1-team-confirms-the-driver-line-up-for-2018