Not due to be formally unveiled until Monday, just before testing kicks-off, the Alfa Romeo has made its track debut at Fiorano this morning.

With Ferrari and Haas both scheduled for shakedowns at the track over the next couple of days, fans have made the trip to the Ferrari test track in order to see them before they make their debuts at Barcelona on Monday.

Being that today is St Valentine's day, the camouflage livery on the car featured black hearts and Alfa's famous cloverleaf (quadrifoglio) on a dark red background.

While Kimi Raikkonen was busy preparing for the shakedown, teammate Antonio Giovinazzi made his way to the airport to retrieve the final part needed for the team to assemble the car and head out onto the track.

The team subsequently completed a total of 33 laps, within the 100 kilometre limit, ahead of the upcoming test in Barcelona where Alfa Romeo will reveal the car and its race livery on Monday at 8.20 am (CET).

"We had a good session," said Raikkonen. "The car felt good and I was able to get a first impression of the car we will be running this season. We will work on the last few details and head to Barcelona for two weeks of testing. I look forward to getting to know the car better there."

"It was a positive day for us," added Frederic Vasseur. "We ran the 2019 car for the first time and were able to assess the progress we have made in our development ahead of the first tests in Barcelona next week. The whole team is pushing to start the season with the best possible base. Our drivers and crew are motivated, and we look forward to heading into the championship and delivering a strong performance."

"After a long winter we are happy to be on track with our new car for the first time," admitted technical director, Simone Resta. "The focus of our work today was on aerodynamic, set-up and cooling checks. We ran for a total of 33 laps and will use our data to establish how the new regulations will affect the behaviour of our car. The next two weeks which we will spend in Barcelona will be busy and will concentrate on proving the car’s reliability and performance."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by VC10-1103, 15/02/2019 6:36

"Insane Reindeer - would you really notice the visual difference if the cars were as much a 10 mph slower? I think not."

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2. Posted by Insane Reindeer, 14/02/2019 22:17

"Ah @F1Nerd if only it wasn't a special "Valentine's Day" livery that the team put on it just for this run.

What we all need to be talking about is that front wing! Now. Is that Sauber, sorry Alfa Romeo Racing, just saving some money and running the front wing that everyone else will once proper testing starts, given that they revealed their cars with a "basic" one to stop all the questions? Or is that front wing just so stupidly not what the rule book says but they made one and figured "what the hell" it will save a real one if Kimi bins it? Or have they really stolen a march on the rest of the grid? Also, the inlets in the front of the nose itself seem to be bigger/more numerous than the McLaren while not being present on any of the other cars, as far as I can see, and this one also seems to have a vent two thirds the way up the nose too! So, have Alfa gone down a complete dead end with that?

Part of me thinks that come the actual testing we might be seeing the other teams show their true hand and all run some variation of that front wing and nose. If they don't, and this Alfa is not stone dead last on the timing sheets then maybe, just maybe, these guys and gals are onto something.

Personally, as long as the cars are not more than 0.5 seconds a lap slower than they were last year at the opening race I don't care what the front wings and noses look like. F1 is all about the speed. Go watch IndyCar for the "show" (whatever the "show" is meant to be)!"

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3. Posted by F1nerd, 14/02/2019 17:33

"Well it's certainly different and will for sure stand out on the grid more so than some of the other boring colours."

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Alfa Romeo makes track debut

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