Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi, both drivers in the Alfa Romeo Formula 1 team, were asked to put the new Giulia GTA and GTAm to the test on the Balocco test track. It didn’t stop with having fun on the track; according to Alfa Romeo, the drivers have provided valuable feedback to the engineers working on the top-of-the-range Giulia.
Actually, Alfa Romeo itself does not have a Formula 1 team. Sauber drives under the Alfa flag in the premier class of motorsport. Sauber Engineering also manufactures a number of carbon fiber parts for the Giulia GTA and GTAm, especially those with impact on aerodynamics. The front bumper, side skirts, diffuser and spoiler work on the boot lid have all been developed and tested by the F1 team in its own wind tunnel. In addition, Alfa Romeo drivers Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi have borrowed for a day. The drivers were allowed to play outside with the fierce Giulia at Balocco, the famous Alfa Romeo test track. The video looks pretty serious. We do not know to what extent it is scripted, but it seems that Giovinazzi and Räikkönen had an intensive day. By the way, ‘The Iceman’ remains cool. “I think it’s a perfect mix for everyday and track use,” says Räikkönen’s brief but powerful assessment.
The Giulia ‘Gran Turismo Alleggerita’ is a reincarnation of the Giulia Sprint GT of yesteryear. The Giulia Quadrifoglio was taken as a starting point, but the 2.9-liter biturbo V6 now delivers 540 hp and the weight has been reduced by 100 kg. With the even heavier GTAm, the rear seat has been removed and a large spoiler mounted. The prototype was taped during the test session, but of course we already know what it will look like. 500 copies of the Giulia GTA are being built. The Dutch starting price is no less than € 230,000, for the ‘m’ you still have to tick off € 6,000 extra. These are provisional prices. When there is more clarity about the CO2 emissions of both models, the final amounts will follow.