The Swiss team announced Marcus Ericsson and Charles Leclerc as its 2018 race drivers at a launch event near Milan. 

The covers were then pulled off a showcar, revealing a red and white livery, with a large Alfa Romeo logo on the engine cover.

Sauber will have closer ties with Ferrari next season through the deal with Alfa Romeo.

The multi-year deal includes strategic, commercial and technological cooperation, enhancing an arrangement that already included use of the latest specification Ferrari engine.

Alfa has not been involved in F1 since its works team project of 1979-85 and has not had a high-profile motorsport programme since its touring car efforts of the 1990s and early 2000s.