Alfa Romeo is a historic and well-respected name in Formula 1, with their debut in the sport dating back to 1950. Since then, they have enjoyed considerable success in world sportscars under the guidance of Peter Sauber, producing competitive cars and developing young drivers.
However, their presence in F1 has been on-and-off as they have taken part in only 186 Grand Prix. They have won 10 races, achieved 26 podiums and won the Drivers Championship in 1950 and 1951.
One of the most important questions when it comes to Alfa Romeo in F1 remains: what engine do they use? In this article, we will examine what engine Alfa Romeo use in their F1 cars. We’ll also tell you whether they make the engine in-house or if they source it from another manufacturer.
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Watch this video to learn more about Alfa Romeo F1 car.
What engine does Alfa Romeo use in F1?
The Alfa Romeo F1 team is currently powered by the Ferrari 1.6 liter V6 turbo hybrid engine, which they have been using for nearly 100 Grands Prix. The Italian brand has a close relationship with Ferrari and has an extensive history in Formula 1, despite having taken part in only 186 Grand Prix over the years.
Does Alfa Romeo make their own F1 engine?
No, Alfa Romeo does not make its own F1 engine. The Italian brand is currently a customer team for Ferrari, using the Ferrari 1.6 liter V6 turbo hybrid engine in their cars. They have been relying on this engine since 2018.
However, when Alfa Romeo first entered the Formula 1 World Championship, they utilized engines made in-house at their Portello factory in Milan, Italy. This plant was where Alfa Romeo produced cars and engines up until the 1980s when Arese took over production. During that time, it was simpler for them to build their very own formula 1 engine as compared to the modern F1 engines that require a considerable amount of complexity and expense. Thus, Alfa Romeo relies on Ferrari’s 1.6L V6 turbo hybrid engine since 2018.
Key takeaways
Here are some key aspects that you should know regarding Alfa Romeo engine in F1:
- Alfa Romeo has not been a constant presence in Formula 1, having exited and re-entered the sport several times since 1950.
- The Italian brand currently uses a Ferrari 1.6 liter V6 turbo hybrid engine in their F1 cars.
- Alfa Romeo does not make their own engine and relies on Ferrari as a customer team.
- Alfa Romeo has won 10 races and achieved 26 podiums in F1 over the years.
- Alfa Romeo has won the Drivers Championship twice, in 1950 and 1951.
Which Formula 1 teams use the same engine?
Let’s take a look at some of the teams that use the same engine as Alfa Romeo:
Ferrari
Ferrari is of course the main team that powers Alfa Romeo and other customer teams, as they are its founding members. They have been racing in F1 since 1950 and have won 243 races and achieved an impressive total of 16 Constructors and 15 Drivers’ championships.
Alfa Romeo
And of course Alfa Romeo, who have been using Ferrari engines since 2018. They benefitted from their close relationship with Ferrari and were able to join forces in 2018.
Haas
Haas is another team that relies on Ferrari engines for their Formula 1 cars. The American team has used Ferrari engines ever since their debut in the sport for the 2016 season. They have had some good results over the years.
A history of Alfa Romeo F1 team engines
| Years | Engine Supplier | Wins | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950-1951 | Alfa Romeo | 10 | 2 |
| 1979-1985 | Alfa Romeo | 0 | 0 |
| 2018-Present | Ferrari | 0 | 0 |
Alfa Romeo started off their F1 foray with a bang, snatching the first-ever Formula 1 World Championship in 1950. Guiseppe Farina drove an Alfa Romeo and powered to 30 points across seven races with two pole positions, three wins, three podiums and three fastest laps under his belt that season.
The following year saw Juan Manuel Fangio achieve the same feat using an Alfa Romeo with four pole positions, three victories, five podiums and five fastest laps en route to 31 points and the world title. They used their own engines for these successes, but Alfa Romeo eventually pulled out of the sport before the 1958 Constructors’ Championship.
After a few decades away from F1, Alfa Romeo returned in 1979 with their own works team. Over six seasons they scored 50 points with two pole positions, one fastest lap and five podiums to show for it.
In 2018, they made another comeback partnering up with Sauber F1 Team; however this time round Ferrari provided the engines as opposed to their own. Although Alfa Romeo have been able to rack up some points over the past four years, they are yet to stand on a podium or even achieve a fastest lap.
Alfa Romeo started off their F1 foray with a bang, snatching the first-ever Formula 1 World Championship in 1950. Guiseppe Farina drove an Alfa Romeo and powered to 30 points across seven races with two pole positions, three wins, three podiums and three fastest laps under his belt that season.
Other F1 engine manufacturers and customers
| F1 engine suppliers | Teams using the engine |
|---|---|
| Ferrari engine | Ferrari Haas Alfa Romeo |
| Mercedes engine | Mercedes McLaren Aston Martin Williams |
| Red Bull engine | Red Bull AlphaTauri |
| Renault engine | Alpine |
Apart from the Ferrari engine, there are several other manufacturers used by F1 teams. Let’s take a look at some of them:
Ferrari
Ferrari is one of the oldest and most famous brands in Formula 1, having won numerous championships over the years. The Ferrari engine is designed by a team of experts at Maranello, Italy, and is widely considered to be one of the most powerful and sophisticated engines on the F1 grid. It is used by the following teams:
- Ferrari
- Alfa Romeo
- Haas
Mercedes
Mercedes is another powerhouse in the world of Formula 1, having developed a number of championship-winning engines over the years. The Mercedes engine is designed and manufactured by a team of engineers in Brixworth, UK, and is considered to be one of the most advanced engines on the grid.
The teams that use this engine include:
- Mercedes
- McLaren
- Aston Martin
- Williams
Red Bull Powertrains
Bull Powertrains. Although, Red Bull is still using the engines manufactured by Honda and will continue to do so until 2025. After that Red Bull Powertrains is expected to become the team’s primary engine supplier, providing cutting-edge power units that can help them achieve top performance on race days. It will supply engines to these teams:
- Red Bull
- AlphaTauri
Renault
Renault is another popular engine supplier in the F1 world, known for designing and manufacturing powertrains that are both powerful and reliable. Renault engines are currently used by only one team on the grid:
- Alpine
Frequently asked questions
Are Alfa Romeo making their own engines in F1?
Are Alfa Romeo F1 engines great or bad?
Why are Alfa Romeo F1 engine not as fast as Red Bulls?
Conclusion
Alfa Romeo has been in Formula 1 for many years and has experienced some success. They are currently partnered with Ferrari and use the Ferrari engine in their cars, although they have not been able to replicate the same level of success as when they used their own engines in the 1950s.
However, Alfa Romeo’s engines are still reliable and competitive, despite not being as fast as some of the other teams on the grid. With time, they may be able to once again reach the level of success they achieved in their golden era.
Read more about all Formula 1 engine suppliers and manufacturers.
