Alfa Romeo analyzed: short wheelbase, high nose and special suspension

Alfa Romeo was on Sunday the last team to have an official unveiling of the 2022 car in Formula 1. The team was present for the first week of testing, but drove around in a camouflaged livery. Mark Hughes and Giorgio Piola took a close look at the C42 at F1.com.

C42 is a compact car

A few things stand out immediately about Alfa Romeo's brand new car. For example, the wheelbase is relatively short, the front wing is very advanced and the team chooses a push-rod rear suspension, just like Red Bull Racing, AlphaTauri and McLaren.

According to the new regulations, the length of the car must be between 3460 millimeters and 3600 millimeters. According to Huges and Piola, most teams choose to drive a longer car, while Alfa Romeo's is 'only' 3500 millimeters. It is remarkable to mention, because packing the engine and cooling systems is very demanding in the car.

High front wing

The front wing can be called special. The wing is quite high compared to the rest of the field. Also, the team has chosen a very complex design of the front wing. The air inlets on the sidepods of the new Alfa Romeo are remarkable, because unlike most teams, they seem to be very big. Like the other teams with Ferrari engines, Alfa Romeo has large vents on the sidepods.

The front suspension is designed so that the car does not 'dive' when braking for the corner. When the car remains flat when braking, the ground effect is at its best.