Alfa Romeo says it will make a call on the future of its partnership with Sauber in Formula 1 in July.
Alfa returned to F1 in 2018, partnering with the Swiss outfit in a naming rights deal that was extended last summer on the basis of a multi-year agreement.
However, the partnership is submitted to yearly assessments by Alfa Romeo.
Since 2018, Alfa has been constrained to the lower tier of the field, with the team never finishing higher than eighth in the F1 Constructors' Championship.
©AlfaRomeo
However, the introduction this year of F1's new-generations cars and the arrival at Hinwil of F1 veteran Valtteri Bottas have boosted Alfa's results, with the Swiss outfit currently sitting fifth in the Constructors' standings.
Alfa's productive start to its 2022 campaign will hopefully weigh positively on the legendary Quadrifoglio manufacturer's decision to extend its presence in F1.
"The future of the partnership between Alfa Romeo and Sauber will be announced in July,” said Alfa Chief executive Jean-Philippe Imparato, quoted by Motorsport.com.
"It will not be a complicated process. There are two aspects we will evaluate – results and economic return."
Carlos Tavares, CEO of the Stellantis automotive group of which Alfa Romeo is a subsidiary, was present at last weekend's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola to promote the manufacturer's new Tonale model and to support the efforts of the Alfa Romeo F1 team.
Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares on the grid at Imola
And the Portuguese executive's comments last weekend appeared to bode well for Alfa and Sauber's future together.
"As a perfect illustration of the competition spirit that drives Stellantis everyday, F1 is an extraordinary innovation lab where the most innovative solutions are tested with the final aim of increasing performance and reliability," said Tavares, who also happens to be an amateur racer.
"For us, it represents an incredible opportunity to transfer this unique know-how on production cars.
"Alfa Romeo's experience in F1 will play a key role in the evolution of the brand towards a new era of electrification and connectivity."
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