According to Alfa Romeo, the end of 2022 could not have been better for them. The Hinwil team was finally able to overtake Aston Martin in the manufacturer’s race, thus earning important millions of dollars for the next season.
This was the highest rating for Alfa Romeo in the Constructors’ Championship since 2012. They finished sixth with Aston Martin, but thanks to Valtteri Bottas’ fifth place at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, they finally finished first (better individual result – author).
And this is a big result from the small Swiss national team, given the pre-season problems. It was almost impossible to complete a 3-lap stage with the C42 during the first ride due to the huge amount of car dolphin.
Once the Hinwili team solved this problem, they were able to collect 51 points in the first 9 races of the year, thanks in part to their lightweight and slim car. However, Bottas was unable to develop the C42 effectively and as other teams progressed, the Alfas slipped more and more on the field.
Former team boss of the Swiss national team Fred Vasseur Until his departure to Ferrari He stated that “even so, they just exceeded their targets set before the season”.
“This was the best possible scenario for us” – It was formulated French specialist. – It is clear that we must develop in the future, because we are not working to the fullest yet. However, I must say that the sixth place is not bad for us at all.
“Overall, we came close to the top and our pace was good even in the last races of the season. After the summer break we had a worse period for various reasons, which is unfortunate, but it is what it is.”
Vasseur said this because, in addition to driving the Dolphins, the C42 was one of the most unreliable cars in the field. For these reasons, Hinwil’s team could only complete 175 laps in pre-season testing, making them the last of the ten teams in this region.
