Alfa Corse

The first Alfa Corse was established in the Portello area of Milan at the insistence of general manager Ugo Gobbato, following the conclusion of the arrangement under which Scuderia Ferrari had run Alfa's works race programme. Enzo Ferrari was appointed to manage Alfa Corse but held the position for only nine months before departing. Despite ambitious plans, the approach of the Second World War curtailed the department's activities and Alfa Corse closed in 1940. Post-war racing success — including two Formula One World Championships with the Alfettas — was managed directly by Alfa's Experimental Department, with Carlo Chiti later running the brand's racing activities through Autodelta.

A new Alfa Corse was established in 1986 in Settimo Milanese with the remit of reuniting all of Alfa Romeo's competitive activities under one roof. Its scope included supplying engines for Formula 1, Formula Indy, and Formula 3 programmes; operating one-make championships; and preparing official and private cars for touring and emerging categories.

Alfa Romeo had been a dominant engine supplier in European Formula 3 from 1979. The twin-shaft 2-litre Alfetta engine, prepared by Novamotor, reached around 165 HP despite vacuum restrictor rules and was among the most sought-after units in the category. A new Twin Spark engine debuted on the Alfa 75 in 1987 and was competitive until 1993. Across this period, Alfa-powered cars won five European F3 Championships, five European Cups, and more than twenty national championships, including eight victories at the Monaco Formula 3 Grand Prix.

Launched in 1987 as a successor to the Trofeo Alfasud, the Formula Alfa Boxer was a purpose-built open-wheel single-seater using a 1712 cc four-cylinder engine derived from the Alfa 33, initially producing 123 HP in a 505 kg car with wishbone suspension. Amato Ferrari won the inaugural 1987 championship. In 1990, the engine was upgraded to the 1.7-litre 16-valve unit from the Quadrifoglio Verde, raising output to 150 HP. When the European variant, the Formula Boxer Europe, launched in 1992, the choice of chassis was liberalised.

Alfa Corse collaborated with Abarth to create the SE 048 SP Group C prototype in 1989. The V10 engine — designed by Pino D'Agostino originally for the F1 Ligier — produced 620 HP at 13,330 rpm. The carbon fibre monocoque was built by Monfrini. Internal Fiat Group decisions subsequently pointed toward a common 3.5-litre V12 for both sports car and F1 use, and the project was abandoned in September 1990.

The Pro Car concept required production-silhouette bodywork over an essentially Formula 1-specification chassis and engine. Alfa used its V10 — the engine designed for the Ligier — beneath the shape of the 164 road car, with Brabham designing the carbon fibre and aluminium honeycomb monocoque. In September 1988, Giorgio Francia tested the car at Balocco, covering 400 metres from rest in 9.7 seconds and reaching 340 km/h. Riccardo Patrese demonstrated the car at Monza ahead of the Italian Grand Prix. The championship for which it was built was launched with minimal publicity and then suspended for lack of entrants.

In 1989, Alfa Romeo debuted in American Indy car racing with a turbocharged V8 producing 680–700 HP from 2648 cc. Roberto Guerrero drove initially with a March 89 CE chassis. Danny Sullivan replaced Guerrero in 1991 in the improved Lola-Alfa Romeo T9100, scoring points in ten of seventeen races including fourth place at Surfers Paradise. Alfa Corse withdrew at the end of 1991 to concentrate on European championships.

Alfa Corse's most celebrated chapter began in 1992 with the preparation of the 155 GTA for the Italian Superturismo Championship, which it won. The 155 TS D2 — powered by a twin-spark 2-litre four-cylinder — also won the British Touring Car Championship and the Spanish Touring Car Championship.

The zenith came in 1993 when Nicola Larini drove the 155 V6 TI to the DTM title, winning ten of twenty races. The car was developed in Turin under engineer Sergio Limone. Key features included four-wheel drive inherited from the Delta Integrale and an unusual upward-angled exhaust system, devised by Limone to pass the series noise regulations. In 1994 the team continued to win races — now joined by Alessandro Nannini — but could not retain the title. Alfa Corse's DTM and ITC involvement continued until the end of 1995, when the department was absorbed into the new Fiat Auto Corse structure.

Racing with the Alfa Romeo 156 continued beyond Alfa Corse's formal existence through successor organisations, with victories in the 1998 Italian Superturismo Championship and the 2003 BTCC following under Nordauto.