New Alfa Romeo breaks cover at Fiorano test track

After completing a shakedown test, Alfa Romeo has released the first pictures of their car with which the Hinwill-based team intends to participate in the 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship.

Although the team will hold its official car launch on February 19 just ahead of the first day of the official pre-season testing, Alfa Romeo has released the first photos of their new car.

The car completed a first successful outing during a shakedown at Fiorano Circuit today. The team’s 2020 contender, driven by Kimi Räikkönen, began its competitive life as it left the garage at 9:37am – and it did so in an exotic snakeskin livery in tones of black and dark grey.

The C39 snaked around the Fiorano Circuit for 33 laps, Kimi displaying increasing confidence with every run completed. The car curled around the track’s tight corners, writhed past the fast bends as Kimi explored its capabilities before coiling back in the garage at the end of the day – a positive first session of on-track work ahead of the 2020 season.

The snakeskin livery, designed by the Centro Stile Alfa Romeo, is a homage to one of the brand’s dominant icons, the heraldic Biscione­ – the large serpent featured in the city of Milan’s crest. It is a fitting tribute to Alfa Romeo, whose logo also features the Biscione, to mark the start of the legendary brand’s 110th year.

The snakeskin pattern not only contributed to creating a unique look for this special occasion: it also helped the team camouflage the C39, leaving the secrets its bodywork holds to be revealed at the team’s official launch on February 19th.

Alfa Romeo is set to start the new season with the same driver line-up as in 2019. Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi will both strive for better result in 2020 after a season which featured inconsistency.

In addition to a major new partnership with Orlen, the team also just announced a deal with Huski Chocolate, who will start a sponsorship with the Alfa Romeo team for the upcoming season, alongside their existing collaboration with McLaren Racing.

Team Principal Fred Vasseur expressed his delight over the new collaboration.

"We are proud to announce the collaboration with our friends. We know the brand very well and in America, they were on our car once last year. We hope that the collaboration leads to success and that everyone can enjoy their chocolate drinks," he said.