Alfa Romeo F1 to officially present 2022 car after Barcelona test

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Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN will officially present its 2022 car on Sunday, February 27th, or after F1's first pre-season test in Barcelona.

However, the Hinwil squad's all-new C42 is expected to take to the Circuit de Catalunya during F1's three-day shakedown that will take place from February 23-25.

In past seasons, Alfa Romeo has typically rolled out its new car ahead of pre-season testing in a special shakedown livery, and it is anticipated that such will be the case in Barcelona.

"The new car, the first built by the team for the new Formula One regulations, will be unveiled in its full livery through a digital launch, with images and videos released to the public and media at 9am CET," said Alfa Romeo.

Alfa Romeo F1, with team boss Frédéric Vasseur at the helm, heads into 2022 with a fresh driver line-up that blends experience with youth, with former Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas paired with Chinese rookie Guanyu Zhou.

Read also: Bottas determined to work well with 'hungry' teammate Zhou

The latter's promotion to F1 is accompanied by a lavish sponsorship deal for Alfa that will boost the team's finances.

But the 22-year-old's presence among motorsport's elite is also seen as an important event for F1 overall thanks to the exposure the sport and its partners will gain in mainland China.

"I think it will mean a huge opportunity for F1, for every single team, but the exposure will explode," recently commented Vasseur.

"It will be a big bang to the system. We have to take it as an opportunity for everybody. We are pushing like hell to improve in this area."

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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.