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Alfa Romeo Admits Huge Marketing Upside With New F1 Recruit

Published 11/28/2021, 6:23 AM EST

Antonio Giovinazzi’s exit had been a little messy but not something the sport hasn’t seen before. In a recent interview, Alfa Romeo boss Fred Vasseur shared his side of the decision. As Alfa Romeo looks forward to the new chapter the 2022 season presents, the team’s move to Guanyu Zhou was a part of that larger plan.

Alfa Romeo’s lineup for 2022 was long dragged out. Although this allowed speculations to grow, Vasseur explained the reason for the delay. “It’s no secret that the company was in talks with some investors and that would not have been a game-changer, but it could have been a new situation and we postponed the decision a bit… We wouldn’t have postponed it until the last Formula 2 event… Then there were talks with the investor and as a result, we pushed the whole thing forward in a week.”

When it was time to show Gio the door, it wasn’t an unpleasant environment. “I was very clear and got straight to the point that… I thanked Antonio for the three seasons we played together. Of course it was a bit of up and down, but everyone, every single team has that and in a collaboration you always have up and downs.”

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Although Giovinazzi wasn’t happy with the decision, the team hopes to maintain a good relationship with the driver.“But I want to keep a positive image and relationship with Antonio. We have to be professional. We are in a small world where we may still work together…You don’t have to overreact, but I can understand that drivers can overreact.”

Why did Alfa Romeo choose Zhou?

The team has an even playing field with new regulations awaiting them in 2022; besides Valtteri Bottas confirmed to the team. Hence, they wanted to fully utilize the opportunity presented to them.

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Vasseur said: ” I think it’s a global decision because we’re starting a new journey in Formula 1 and we have to make a decision… The goal is to perform. And the pillar of performance is based on the performance of the route, the driver, technical cooperation, technical relationships, pure relationships and the budget. If you put them all together then I think our decision was a good one.”

Zhou’s entrance also comes with added benefits. “In the past few weeks, more sponsors have called than in the last 25 years.”

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Although the F1 sees the last of Antonio Giovinazzi and Kimi Raikkonen, the 2022 season brings in Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou. There are only 2 races left in the 2021 season, and the team is looking forward to a bright future.

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Shreya Sanjeev is an F1 author at EssentiallySports. Having attained a journalism degree from St Xavier's College, she finds comfort in the sound of her keyboard while typing and excitement in the sound of F1 cars speeding on a track. A street circuit and Daniel Ricciardo fan through and through, Shreya claims the 2018 Monaco GP to be one of her favorite races of all time.

Alfa Romeo Admits Huge Marketing Upside With New F1 Recruit

Why did Alfa Romeo choose Zhou?

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