Sauber and Alfa Romeo, will continue their journey together until at least the end of the current era of Formula One regulations, said the Italian team in a statement this morning.

A relationship that began in 2018 and has built the foundations for future growth will now stretch into its fourth year to further improve on its sporting success.

This announcement takes place on a special week as the Imola circuit, one of the spiritual homes of Italian motorsport, returns to the F1 calendar for the first time in more than a decade.

To celebrate both these occasions, the Alfa Romeo team will sport a special, one-off livery emblazoned with the Italian flag on the top of the roll-hoop and on the rear wing endplates - a tribute to Italy and to Alfa Romeo's unique racing heritage in the year of its 110th birthday.

The partnership between Sauber Group and Alfa Romeo extends well beyond the confines of the racetrack. Sauber Engineering, a branch of the Sauber Group, was involved in the design, development and manufacturing of Alfa Romeo's new Giulia GTA and GTAm models, with Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi test-driving the cars at Alfa Romeo's development track in Balocco, Italy, and providing the marque's engineers with technical feedback to fine-tunes the vehicles.

Sauber Engineering's manufacturing capabilities are also entrusted with the production of the Giulia GTA and GTAm's carbon components, such as the new front bumper and adjustable front splitter, the side skirts, the diffuser, the GTA's spoiler and the GTAm's aerowing - a genuine transfer of know-how and production techniques from track to road.

The renewal of the partnership between Sauber and Alfa Romeo reinforces the team's stability and commitment to the future, while also highlighting its ambition for future success in Formula One.

"Racing and performance are at the core of Alfa Romeo's DNA," said Mike Manley, CEO FCA. "The brand was practically born on a racetrack and today we continue to compete at the most technologically advanced level of motorsport. The partnership with Sauber also allows our customers to benefit from exclusive racing know-how, as it is the case of the all-new Giulia GTA and GTAm, which incorporate Sauber Engineering's technical input particularly as it relates to advanced aerodynamics."

"The extension of our relationship with Alfa Romeo is a true statement of intent from both parties," added Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN and CEO Sauber Motorsport AG. "In Sauber, Alfa Romeo found a committed, performance-driven partner to which they could entrust their brand: we are honoured to carry the heritage and past success of Alfa Romeo in our name. Both parties always intended for this relationship to bear fruit in the long term: we have laid some solid foundations in the last three season and we aim to reap the rewards of this work in 2021 and beyond."