Alfa Romeo senses a꧋ “big opportunity” during the 2019 Formula 1 season, according to team principal Frederic Vasseur. 

The rebranded Sauber squad made impressive strides to move up to eighth spot in the 2018 constructors’🌠 championship and heads into the🏅 new campaign with fresh optimism following a strong fortnight of pre-season testing. 

Following Charles Lec🌠lerc’s promotion to Ferrari and Marcus Ericsson’s departure to IndyCar, Alfa Romeo fields an all-new driver line-up consisting of Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi. 

“Our arrival in Melbourne symbolises the start of another big opportunity for our team afte💧r making excellent progress and showing our potential over the past year,” Vasseur said. 

“We are eager to have a positive start to the 2019 season. We have a great driver line-up and a strong backing from our team across all departments - at our factory as w𓂃ell as at the race track. 

“I look forward to seeing where we stand in these early stages and we wil🦋l push hard to continue working our way up the ranksꦺ in the coming months.”

Raikkonen, who swapped seats with new Fer🉐rari recruit Leclerc for 2019, believes it is impossible to predict the pecking order ahead of the season-opener. 

“There is always some uncertainty when you head to the first race of the s🦂eason - you could even call it a mystery,” the Finn explained. 

“Anything is possible. The midfield is tight and we can’t predict where we stand at the momeဣnt. 

“We have a lot of work ahead of us, but t🌳he team has shown massive development last year and I am confident that we can have a stro💟ng start in Melbourne.”

The 2019 season will mark Giovinazzi’s first fu🍃ll-season in the sport having previously contested the opening two races of 2017 in Australia and China as stand-in for the injured Pascal Wehrlein. 

“I am enjoying every single moment of my first full Forꦰmula 1 season so far,” Giovinazzi added. 

“Testing was pretty good, but it is hard to predict whe෴re we will be on the grid. 

“I have had a busy winter and have trained a lot to prepare for my first season in the best possible way. Now I f🦋eel ready to race - I can’t wait to go to the start and see the red light switch to gr🀅een.”