Alfa Romeo C42

The Alfa Romeo C42 is a Formula One car designed and built by Alfa Romeo to compete in the 2022 Formula One World Championship. The C42 is built to the new generation of technical regulations, originally intended for introduction in 2021.

Alfa Romeo C42
CategoryFormula One
ConstructorAlfa Romeo
PredecessorAlfa Romeo Racing C41
Technical specifications
Suspension (front)Double wishbone push-rod
Suspension (rear)Double wishbone push-rod
EngineFerrari 066/7
1.6 L (98 cu in) direct injection V6 turbocharged engine limited to 15,000 RPM in a mid-mounted, rear-wheel drive layout 1.6 L (98 cu in) V6 (90°) turbocharged, 15,000 RPM limited mid-mounted.
Electric motorFerrari
Kinetic and thermal energy recovery systems
TransmissionFerrari 8-speed + 1 reverse sequential seamless semi-automatic paddle shift with epicyclic differential and multi-plate limited slip clutch
BatteryLithium-ion battery
TyresPirelli P Zero (dry)
Pirelli Cinturato (wet)
Competition history
Notable entrantsAlfa Romeo F1 Team Orlen
Notable drivers
Debut2022 Bahrain Grand Prix
Last event2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
RacesWinsPodiumsPolesF/Laps
40000

The car is driven by former Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas and rookie Zhou Guanyu.

Background

Development context
Further information: 2022 Formula One World Championship § Technical regulations

The new generation of technical regulations were intended to be introduced in the 2021 season. However, due to the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, the regulations were delayed until 2022. Development of all new generation cars was thus paused from 28 March 2020 until 31 December 2020.[1]

Naming

The C42 follows the C41, which in turn follows the C39. The new-generation car had been internally allocated the designation C40 in anticipation of new regulations for the 2021 season. When these were delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new car, the C41, had to be developed based on the C39 for the interim regulations.[2] However, ahead of the car's unveiling, Alfa Romeo stated that the car would not carry the C40 but instead carry the C42 designation to avoid the sequence of C39, C41, C40, which could have been confusing.[3]

Initial design and development

Bottas commented that the early version of the C42 ran on the Alfa Romeo simulator did not handle significantly differently to the 2021 cars.[4]

Alfa Romeo used push-rod suspension on both the front and rear, in contrast to the push-rod front and pull-rod rear that had become standard in the turbo-hybrid era. The C42 has the shortest wheelbase of any 2022 car. It packages its Ferrari engine much the same as the works team, with wide sidepods featuring cooling louvres over the top.[5] Alfa Romeo developed several major components in-house rather than sourcing them from Ferrari as it and its predecessor team Sauber had done since Sauber became a Ferrari customer team in 2010. These parts include the fuel tank, rear suspension, and exterior structure of the gearbox (the interior components of the gearbox are still Ferrari-sourced). Technical Director Jan Monchaux listed Formula One's new budget regulations and greater engineering freedom and independence as reasons why Alfa Romeo decided to design these components independently.[6] [7]

The C42 was the only car to weigh less than the original minimum weight requirement of 795 kg (1,753 lb). Several other teams lobbied the FIA to increase the minimum weight, with a compromise reached to raise the minimum weight limit to 798 kg (1,759 lb).[8]

Competition and development history

Alfa Romeo introduced a substantial upgrade to the C42 at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. The upgrade features a new floor edge and strake design as well as a new sidepods that merge with the floor. Changes were also made to the rear brake ducts.[9]

Complete Formula One results

(key)

Year Entrant Power unit Tyres Driver name Grands Prix Points WCC pos.
BHR SAU AUS EMI MIA ESP MON AZE CAN GBR AUT FRA HUN BEL NED ITA SIN JPN USA MXC SAP ABU
2022 Alfa Romeo F1 Team Orlen Ferrari 066/7 P Valtteri Bottas 6 Ret 8 57 25* 5th*
Zhou Guanyu 10 11 11 15
Reference:[10][11]

* Season still in progress.

References
  1. "FIA approve raft of F1 rule changes for 2020 and 2021". Formula1.com. Formula One Administration. 31 March 2020. Archived from the original on 4 April 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  2. "Alfa Romeo launches 2021 F1 car and revised livery". The Race. 22 February 2021. Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021. With those rules postponed to 2022, Alfa opted to keep the C40 model number attached to the project, and thus christened the actual 2021 car the C41.
  3. "Alfa Romeo clear up confusion over name of 2022 car". RacingNews365. Archived from the original on 1 February 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  4. Noble, Jonathon; Smith, Luke (28 December 2021). "F1 2022 cars "not crazy different" in simulator, says Bottas". Autosport. Motorsport Network. Archived from the original on 28 December 2021. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  5. Hughes, Mark; Piola, Giorgio (27 February 2022). "Why Alfa Romeo have gone bold with innovative C42 design". Formula1.com. Formula One Administration. Archived from the original on 27 February 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  6. "Alfa Romeo's costly F1 start problem is likely to linger". The Race. 27 March 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  7. Foster, Michelle (2 February 2022). "Alfa Romeo tease image of their 2022 Formula 1 car, drop Ferrari gearbox". PlanetF1. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  8. Cleeren, Filip; Chinchero, Roberto (28 April 2022). "Alfa Romeo: Rival teams "played games" with FIA to raise F1 weight limit". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  9. Somerfield, Matt; Piola, Giorgio (30 April 2022). "The F1 philosophy shift that has helped Alfa Romeo push on". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  10. "2022 Constructor Standings". Formula1.com. 20 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  11. "Alfa Romeo C42". StatsF1. 20 March 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
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