Alfa Corse

Alfa Corse: A Legacy Forged in Speed and Silence

Alfa Corse

Founded: 1938 Base: Milan, Lombardy, Italy Also located at: Arese, Lombardy, Italy Former series: AIACR European Championship, Formula One, World Sportscar Championship, European Touring Car Championship, World Touring Car Championship, Italian Superturismo Championship, Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft, British Touring Car Championship

Championships Won:

Teams' Championships:
- 2 European Touring Car Championship (1984, 1985)
- 1 Italian Superturismo Championship (1992)
- 1 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM) (1993)
Drivers' Championships:
- 2 Formula One World Drivers' Championships (1950, 1951)
- 2 Italian Superturismo Championship (1988, 1992)
- 1 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM) (1993)
- 1 British Touring Car Championship (1994)

Alfa Corse. The name itself evokes a certain… gravity. It’s not just a racing team; it’s the factory’s very own shadow, cast long and sharp across the racing circuits of the world. For decades, Alfa Romeo’s factory racing efforts have been a testament to their relentless pursuit of speed, a narrative woven through Grand Prix motor racing and the more brutal, visceral world of touring car racing.

The official genesis of Alfa Corse can be traced back to the nascent days of 1938. This wasn't a new beginning, so much as a reclaiming. The racing department, which had been operating under the unofficial banner of Scuderia Ferrari, was brought back under the direct control of the manufacturer, returning to its spiritual home at "il Portello". Enzo Ferrari, a man whose name would later become synonymous with racing legend, remained at the helm for a fleeting year. Then, he departed, setting off to forge his own path, to build his own machines under the banner of Auto-Avio Costruzioni. From 1961 onwards, the responsibility for Alfa Romeo's factory racing endeavors shifted, falling under the stewardship of Autodelta, a name that itself carries the weight of countless victories.

The landscape of automotive manufacturing shifted dramatically when the Fiat Group acquired Alfa Romeo in 1986. The echoes of this change rippled through the racing department. In 1987, Giorgio Pianta, a seasoned hand from Abarth’s management, was tasked with the formidable challenge of resurrecting Alfa Corse. Initial attempts were ambitious, perhaps even audacious. There was a dalliance with producing the 164 Procar in collaboration with Brabham, and a foray into the demanding World Sports Prototype Championship. But these grand designs ultimately faltered. Alfa Corse then recalibrated, finding its footing once more in the arena of touring car racing. The return was marked by a campaign in the Italian CIVT series in 1992, piloting the formidable 155 GTA. The following year, 1993, saw Alfa Corse making a significant impact in the DTM with the all-wheel-drive, V6-powered 155 TI. This era also gave birth to a Supertouring variant of the 155, a machine that would go on to conquer not only the Italian Superturismo championship but also the BTCC and the Spanish Touring Car Championship, a testament to its raw, untamed capability.

The withdrawal from the DTM, which was subsequently rebranded as the "International Touring Car Championship," occurred at the close of 1996. Pianta was succeeded by Francesco Galletto, who inherited the reins of a team navigating evolving motorsport landscapes. The advent of the 156 marked a new chapter. This car was meticulously engineered for the Supertouring and Superproduction classes, competing fiercely in the European Touring Car Championship. The year 2001 witnessed a significant consolidation: Alfa Corse merged with Mauro Sipsz's independent firm, Nordauto Engineering, a union that gave rise to N.Technology, a new entity poised to carry forward the legacy of performance.

See also

Footnotes

^ a b "Alfa Corse/Autodelta History". velocissima.com. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2009-01-11.
^ "The Unknown History of the 308 in Argentina". ddavid.com. Archived from the original on 2007-04-07. Retrieved 2007-06-03.
^ a b c "The Abarth projects after Carlo Abarth". Retrieved 2011-08-28.

Alfa Romeo A marque of Stellantis

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