A relationship steeped in history between Alfa Romeo and Ferrari

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The Sauber name will no longer figure among F1's entrants this season, with Alfa Romeo receiving the exclusive naming rights for the Swiss team.

Thus we should theoretically have a pair of Alfa Romeo-Ferraris on the grid in Melbourne, reviving an association between the two manufacturers that was first seen almost a century ago!

As a young driver racing for CMN (Costruzioni Meccaniche Nazionali), Enzo Ferrari caught the eye of car manufacturer Alfa Romeo in 1920, for which he would supply not only his driving skills but also his engineering talent.

In 1929, Ferrari fulfilled his dream of setting up his own race team, Scuderia Ferrari, which became Alfa Romeo's veritable racing department. However, financial constraints dissolved the outfit in 1937, but Alfa retained Ferrari as its sporting director.

Two years later, Ferrari left Alfa Romeo and set up Auto-Avio Costruzioni, a company supplying parts to other racing teams. After the war, in 1947, Ferrari founded the company bearing his name and went on to battle the mighty Alfa Romeos on the race track. And the rest is history…

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.