Alfa Romeo unveil C41 with ballerinas and pianists

Alfa Romeo

Alfa Romeo unveil C41 with ballerinas and pianists

Alfa Romeo will be hoping to improve on eighth place in 2020

Sam Hall

Monday 22 February 2021 12:30

Alfa Romeo has become the latest Formula 1 team to launch its new car for the coming season

The C41 was unveiled in the spectacular setting of the Grand Theatre of Poland's capital city, Warsaw, and preceded by a 'warm-up act' of two dancing ballerinas and two pianists.

Featuring the traditional red and white colours of the team, the car represents an evolution of the C39 that competed in the 2020 season.

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The team has confirmed it invested its two development tokens on aerodynamics, primarily with regard to a new nose cone.

Following an initial upcoming shakedown, the car will be put through its paces in the three-day pre-season test at Bahrain's International Circuit from March 12-14, with the first race following two weeks later at the same venue.

Team principal Frêdêric Vasseur said: “The launch of a new car is always an emotional moment, the culmination of months of effort from everyone back at the factory and the start of a new adventure.

"I think the philosophy upon which the team is based remains the same - we have to do a better job tomorrow than we are doing today.

"We finished last season in P8, so we have to target a better result in 2021. To do so, we have to keep improving in each department, trackside and back at HQ.

"Every team on the grid has very high expectations right now: all the teams expect to do a good job in the winter and to be in a good position for the first race, but soon it will be the time for everyone to show their cards.”

Technical director Jan Monchaux added: “The C41 is the result of a very unusual situation in Formula One, in which the regulations have made us unable to develop an entire new car for this year.

"For this reason, our 2021 car shares a lot of common parts with the C39, with the exception of those which the regulations forced us to change – such as the floor – and the nosecone, in which we invested our two development tokens.

"This means we will know the car much better than usual when we get to testing, but it’s still going to be crucial to make the most of those three days to verify that reality matches our expectations and to get to know the new tyres.

"We are ready for the new season and we can’t wait to see our new car on track.”

The C41 will again be driven by Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi this season, with Robert Kubica serving as reserve.