Unfortunately, it doesn't come with an engine.
Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake's very first C43 F1 car – the demo car used at the official reveal earlier this week – has been put up for auction via the official F1 merchandise website, F1 Authentics. Considering it's the last time Alfa will race in F1 for the foreseeable future, the car could fetch a fair chunk of change, even if it doesn't have an engine.
No, Alfa hasn't reached rock bottom yet, despite struggling to convince Americans to buy the Giulia Quadrifoglio instead of a BMW M3. As it turns out, the car used for the launch is not a working example. It's a lightweight pre-reg carbon fiber shell that's strong enough to support its weight on the four wheels. Its build parameters were to be strong enough to withstand the loads exerted for show car purposes, and that's it.
Still, it is an exact replica of the real thing, and the surface finish is on par with the real deal. If you want the ultimate conversation starter in your living room, this is it. Your partner may leave you, but you'll soon find another, thanks to this bad boy.
Thankfully, the new livery is spectacular, and you'll enjoy it while watching the real deal compete on TV.
Apart from the engine and quality of the materials used, the show car has a lot in common with the racer. The components needed to build it were constructed using the same methods Alfa will use to make the actual F1 car, just with a lower grade of carbon fiber. More importantly, the team used the race car's CAD data to build it. Alfa used hundreds of CAD-designed molds to create each specific part.
This is as close as you're going to get to an F1 car without having to pay millions of dollars. Plus, you can add some screens and use it as the basis for the ultimate digital racing rig.
While there is no engine, it has working electronics. It has a fully operational 3D-printed steering wheel with a functional center display. The steering wheel is also connected to a steering rack, and the front wheels can turn. It also has working rain lights.
Our favorite bit is the race-ready construction. Because it was built using the same methods as the race car, the front and rear wings can easily be removed, as can the wheels.
This means you and a few mates can practice your pit stop skills to see if you can set a new record. The record for the fastest pit stop currently belongs to McLaren's pit crew, who serviced Daniel Ricciardo's car at the Mexico City Grand Prix in just 1.98 seconds. It was not the only record broken on that day.
Also included in the deal are the signed race suits and boots worn by Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu during the launch, which will be signed by both drivers. The car will also be accompanied by a signed chassis plaque denoting this show car as chassis #01
At the time of writing, the bidding stands at £83,000 (roughly $100,000) with 12 days left. Bidding ends on February 21 at 3 PM GMT.
Keyword: Alfa Romeo's First 2023 F1 Car Is Already Up For Auction