Alfa Romeo F1 team owner Sauber Group names new managing director
Alessandro Alunni Bravi has been installed as the new managing director of Sauber Group, the company behind the Alfa Romeo Formula 1 team.
Lawyer Alunni Bravi has been involved with the team as its general counsel and as a board member since 2017.
The Italian is also well known in the F1 paddock as the manager of former McLaren driver Stoffel Vandoorne, who is currently racing for Mercedes in Formula E, while he has also worked with current Alfa reserve driver Robert Kubica.
Previously he operated alongside Nicolas Todt at All Road Management, whose stable of drivers included Felipe Massa, Charles Leclerc and Pastor Maldonado.
He has also worked closely with current Alfa F1 boss Fred Vasseur as the legal advisor to the ART F2 and F3 operation since 2010.
Sauber says that Alunni Bravi will focus “on marketing, communications, sales, legal, IT and finance.”
The Swiss company has been keen to maintain the Sauber brand as a separate entity alongside the Alfa-badged F1 team, in order to emphasise that it is also an engineering and technology business, highlighted by its wind tunnel facility.
In 2021 the organisation was nearly sold to Michael Andretti, but main shareholder Finn Rausing was ultimately unwilling to let it go and opted to remain in charge.
Guanyu Zhou, Alfa Romeo C42
Photo by: Alfa Romeo
“Alessandro has been an integral part of the growth of our company, on and off the track, in the last few years,” said Vasseur.
“I am excited about the contribution he will make in his new position. Few can match his knowledge of motorsports with that of business and the complex legal landscape in which we operate, and this makes Alessandro the right person for this challenge.”
“It’s an honour to take on the challenge of being managing director of a company with the successful history that Sauber has,” said Alunni Bravi.
“I am also aware of the responsibility that this position brings towards the more than 500 people employed by Sauber, a commitment I will meet with hard work, passion and dedication.
“I'd like to thank Frédéric Vasseur and the Sauber Group shareholders, as well as all those who have been by my side these last years, making it possible for me to achieve this next step. There is much work ahead but I'm excited to begin this new adventure.”
Why Red Bull's RB18 innovation doesn't lie solely in its sidepods
Haas to miss start of Bahrain F1 test after late freight arrival
Diriyah E-Prix: Wehrlein holds off Dennis to charge to victory
Pascal Wehrlein made up eight places in the Diriyah E-Prix to take victory, holding off a late assault from Jake Dennis to take his second Formula E win.
GT3 Corvette Z06 unveiled for customer teams in 2024
Chevrolet has revealed the new Corvette Z06 GT3.R a year before it makes its competition debut at the 2024 Daytona 24 Hours.
Daytona 24: Cadillacs lead BMW in fourth practice
In the GTP teams’ penultimate practice ahead of the Daytona 24 Hours, Alexander Sims put Action Express Racing Cadillac on top from Ganassi, while Nick Yelloly lifted his BMW to third.
How women are tackling barriers in motorsport
Women’s participation in motorsport has hugely increased in recent years, with series such as W Series and Extreme E providing invaluable support for female drivers.
Why Vasseur relishes 'feeling the pressure' as Ferrari's F1 boss
OPINION: Fred Vasseur has spent only a few weeks as team principal for the Ferrari Formula 1 team, but is already intent on taking the Scuderia back to the very top. And despite it being arguably the most demanding job in motorsport, the Frenchman is relishing the challenge
The crucial tech changes F1 teams must adapt to in 2023
Changes to the regulations for season two of Formula 1's ground-effects era aim to smooth out last year’s troubles and shut down loopholes. But what areas have been targeted, and what impact will this have?
Are these the 50 quickest drivers in F1 history?
Who are the quickest drivers in Formula 1 history? LUKE SMITH asked a jury of experienced and international panel of experts and F1 insiders. Some of them have worked closely with F1’s fastest-ever drivers – so who better to vote on our all-time top 50? We’re talking all-out speed here rather than size of trophy cabinet, so the results may surprise you…
One easy way the FIA could instantly improve F1
OPINION: During what is traditionally a very quiet time of year in the Formula 1 news cycle, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been generating headlines. He’s been commenting on massive topics in a championship that loves them, but also addressing necessary smaller changes too. Here we suggest a further refinement that would be a big boon to fans
How can McLaren keep hold of Norris?
Lando Norris is no longer the young cheeky-chappy at McLaren; he’s now the established ace. And F1's big guns will come calling if the team can’t give him a competitive car. Here's what the team needs to do to retain its prize asset
What difference did F1's fastest pitstops of 2022 make?
While a quick pitstop can make all the difference to the outcome of a Formula 1 race, most team managers say consistency is more important than pure speed. MATT KEW analyses the fastest pitstops from last season to see which ones – if any – made a genuine impact
When F1 ‘holiday’ races kept drivers busy through the winter
Modern Formula 1 fans have grown accustomed to a lull in racing during winter in the northern hemisphere. But, as MAURICE HAMILTON explains, there was a time when teams headed south of the equator rather than bunkering down in the factory. And why not? There was fun to be had, money to be made and reputations to forge…
What Porsche social media frenzy says about F1’s manufacturer allure
Porsche whipped up a frenzy thanks to a cryptic social media post last week and, although it turned out to be a false alarm, it also highlighted why manufacturers remain such an important element in terms of the attraction that they bring to F1. It is little wonder that several other manufacturers are bidding for a slice of the action
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.