The new Sauber C37 is clearly an evolution of last year’s car, however many aerodynamic concepts are visibly different to the outgoing C36 which was used in 2017. The front slants much lower than last the previous car, the nose cone coming all the way to the floor line, the barge boards and middle floor section boast much more sophisticated aerodynamics, the sidepods also show significant aero changes, while the overall profile of the rear wing has also changed significantly.

The most standout change is the incorporation of the new ‘halo’ cockpit safety device which is required due to regulation changes coming into play for the 2018 season, while the removal of the ‘shark fin’ and T-wings have also been mandated by the rule tweaks.

The biggest change in terms of Sauber trying to bridge the gap from the rear of the grid to the midfield teams this year comes under the skin though as the C37 will compete with Ferrari’s 2018 specification power units, a positive step forward for the new season as last year the cash-strapped Swiss team was forced to settle for using 2016 specification power units.

Frédéric Vasseur, Team Principal, said today: “I am very much looking forward to the 2018 season, and to seeing Marcus (Ericsson) and Charles (Leclerc) on track. We have put lots of effort and hard work into the C37 over the last few months, and it is fantastic to be launching the new car today. I am convinced that Marcus and Charles form the perfect driver line-up, with one being an experienced driver and one a promising rookie. Marcus is going into his fourth season with us. He is a valuable part of the team, and we benefit from his experience and precise technical feedback. As for Charles, he has proven his talent in prior categories and deserves to be on the Formula 1 grid this season.”

“Our target ahead of 2018 is clear: We have to catch up with the field and continue improving our performance during the course of the season,” Vasseur continued. “We have put lots of energy and commitment into the development of the C37. I want to thank our partners and fans for their continuous support.

“The return of Alfa Romeo to Formula 1 sets another milestone in the team’s history, and I am proud that such a historical brand has chosen us for their return to the sport. We are eager to start the 2018 season as the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team,” he added.

Alfa Romeo’s association with the Sauber F1 Team returns one of the great names from the history of Formula 1, albeit this time the company is just playing the role of a key sponsor, reported by some sources as paying as little as US$5 million.

For Sauber, which quickly ditched a planned deal for 2018 with Honda last year to remain with Ferrari engines, the attraction of having the Alfa Romeo name on the car is the branding association which it hopes it can leverage into luring other sponsors to the team. However, from the images it has presented today, that’s still a work in progress with only decals from minor partners being in evidence.

The red and white livery unveiled today on the Sauber C37 is very similar to what was presented on one of the team's last year F1 cars when the sponsorship arrangement was officially announced back in early December during a press conference at the Museo Storico Alfa Romeo in Milan.

The C37 also marks the return of the ‘Quadrifoglio’, the legendary badge that has appeared on Alfa Romeo’s top performance cars since 1923, to F1. Featured on the engine cover of the new C37, the famous good-luck charm has a fascinating history, deeply rooted in the racing world. The first Alfa Romeo car to carry the Quadrifoglio was the ‘RL’ driven by Ugo Sivocci which won the 15th edition of the Targa Florio in 1923. The same good-luck emblem also appeared on Brilli Peri’s ‘P2’ when he triumphed in the first ‘Motor Racing World Championship’ in Monza in 1925, gaining the first of Alfa Romeo’s world titles, and it was present again in 1950 and 1951, when Giuseppe Farina and Juan Manuel Fangio drove the Alfa Romeo 158 and 159 cars, the famous ‘Alfettas’, to success in the first two Formula 1 World Championships. It’s subsequently been carried by Alfa Romeo factory racecars until the carmaker quit motorsport a decade ago, its final campaigns being in the FIA World Touring Car Championship.

“It is great to finally reveal the C37 today, the 2018 challenger is the result of the hard work that everyone in the factory has put in over the last few months,” said, Jörg Zander, Sauber's Technical Director. “Speaking about the C37, the car philosophy is much different to that of the C36. The aerodynamic concept has changed significantly, and the C37 has several new features in comparison to its predecessor.

“We are positive that the new concept offers us more opportunities and will help us to make improvements during the course of the season,” Zander continued. “The 2018 Ferrari engine will also give us a boost in terms of our performance. We hope that we will make progress with the C37 and that we are more competitive compared to 2017.”

The official rollout of the Sauber C37 and its track debut will take place on the occasion of the first winter F1 tests at the Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona, from the 26th February to the 1st March.

Photos: Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team C37 Ferrari