Formula One team Sauber rebranded as Alfa Romeo Racing, set to be led by Kimi Raikkonen in 2019 Championship

Paris: Formula One team Sauber have rebranded as Alfa Romeo Racing for the 2019 season, the Swiss outfit announced Friday, ending 25 years of competing under the Sauber name.

Alfa Romeo had already been the title sponsor of Sauber last year when the team was known as Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 team.

“It is a pleasure to announce that we will enter the 2019 Formula One World Championship with the team name Alfa Romeo Racing,” said team principal Frederic Vasseur.

Former world champion Kimi Raikkonen will lead Alfa Romeo Racing in the 2019 world championship after the Finn’s move from Ferrari, supported by the inexperienced Italian Antonio Giovinazzi.

New name, same game! ⚡ We're excited to announce Sauber and Alfa Romeo to keep fighting for ambitious results in 2019 @F1 World Championship as Alfa Romeo Racing. 🤝 + info: https://t.co/1RUddkPMpj #AlfaRomeoRacing #SauberMotorsport #Bwoah pic.twitter.com/0gzgwgpl66

— Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber (@stakef1team_ks) February 1, 2019

Alfa Romeo, which dropped out of Formula One in 1987, won the first two world titles with Giuseppe Farina in 1950 and Argentinian five-time champion Juan Manuel Fangio in 1951.