The 2022 season saw a major shake-up of the Formula One cars we knew and loved. It seemed like a clean slate, after 2021’s action-packed, but also highly controversial conclusion at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which would see race director Michael Masi incorrectly allow Red Bull's Max Verstappen the chance to overtake Sir Lewis Hamilton on the final lap before winning the championship. With the huge rule changes brought in for 2022, it led to a glorious display of driver talent right through the grid, with George Russell joining Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, leaving Valtteri Bottas’ options open, which led him to swap sleek silver for scarlet red and white in the form of the Sauber Alfa Romeo Stake Formula 1 team. He was the established figure brought in to guide Zhou Guanyu, 2022’s sole rookie and the first full-time Chinese F1 driver in history. The car was simply stunning to look at, wearing one of the best liveries on the grid, with F1 and motorsport fans alike welcoming the return of Alfa Romeo to top-tier racing with open arms. If you, like us, are big fans of the 2022 cars, and specifically this two-tone Alfa, you’re in luck, as Auktionshaus Wiesbaden’s Autumn Auction on September 20 features a stunning 1:1 show car of the Alfa Romeo C42. 

This car isn’t just a well-made replica for the car Valtteri and Zhou raced week in, week out, but a meticulous show car built to the team's production standards, corresponding exactly to the external geometry of the vehicles the duo raced. While this example never saw wheel-to-wheel action, it was brought along to many of the season’s events as a centrepiece within their marketing and hospitality suites. 

The race-spec C42 was built around the new ground-effect philosophy, with sculpted underfloor tunnels and simplified bodywork aimed at reducing turbulence and improving wheel-to-wheel racing. Visually, the car carried Alfa Romeo’s traditional red-and-white livery, but underneath it was one of the most tightly packaged designs on the grid, notable for its slim rear end and compact cooling layout. This aggressive packaging pushed the Ferrari-supplied power unit and cooling systems to their limits, reflecting Sauber’s focus on aerodynamics and weight saving under the increased minimum weight rules.

It's extremely rare to see a show car such as this up for grabs, with many making their way to the drivers themselves or corporate sponsors, but this example has been made publicly accessible for the first time, with an estimate ranging from 260,000 Euros all the way up to 1,000,000 Euros, such is the exclusivity around this particular lot. Serving as the ultimate addition to a motorsport fanatic’s garage space, this show car also comes with a fully worn, hand-signed racing suit by Valtteri Bottas from the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix, as well as gloves, shoes and balaclava. 

Photos by Christian Eschweiler

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