(2023 Formula 1 Canada Grand Prix in Montreal) Congratulations to the Quadrifoglio on its 100th anniversary! A lucky charm in the shape of a four-leaf clover has adorned all Alfa Romeo racing cars since 1923. The Alfa Romeo Formula 1 team also congratulates the traditional Italian brand on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Quadrifoglio with a special gesture. At the Canadian Grand Prix next weekend from June 16-18, 2023, the cars driven by Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu will sport a special graphic on the starting grid: the engine covers of the F1 drivers will bear the symbol designed by Centro Stile Alfa Romeo for this occasion in the form of the four leaf clover.
The reinterpretation of Alfa Romeo designers respects the charisma and elegance of the historic logo, a green four-leaf clover on a white triangle. However, the stylists have implemented a modern color scheme and structure for the eighth race of the 2023 Formula 1 season.
The origin of the Quadrifoglio as a lucky charm for Alfa Romeo racing cars dates back to Targa Florio feedback. It was one of the most demanding road races in the world in the first half of the 20th century. In 1923, works driver Ugo Sivocci gave Alfa Romeo its first major international racing victory. The Quadrifoglio, painted for the first time on the bonnet, had fulfilled its role as a lucky charm. Alfa Romeo took advantage of this success to use the four-leaf clover as a talisman on all factory racing cars.
In the spirit of the Quadrifoglio, Alfa Romeo won, among other things, the first automobile world championship in 1925. During this time, the four-leaf clover on company cars also served as a distinguishing mark for Scuderia Ferrari private-use racers – these had the breeding horse, which is also world famous today, as an identifier .
Giuseppe “Nino” Farina won the first Formula 1 world championship title in the 1950 season at the wheel of the Alfa Romeo Tipo 158 “Alfetta” equipped with a quadrifoglio. teammate Juan-Manuel Fangio was the following year second Formula 1 champion in history. And the Quadrifoglio was also there when Alfa Romeo celebrated world endurance titles in 1975 and 1977.
German fans have fond memories of the legendary symbol of the heyday of the German Touring Car Championship (DTM). In 1993 Alfa Romeo factory driver Nicola Larini beat the local competition and became DTM champion.
In 1963, the four-leaf clover adorns a production vehicle for the first time – only a small number were built and designed for use in motorsports Alfa Romeo Giulia TI Super. The brand has thus started a tradition of ennobling the respective top models of the selected series with the Quadrifoglio. THE Alfa Romeo Giulia 1600 Sprint GT Veloce from 1965 showed the Quadrifoglio for the first time as a striking enamel plaque on the C-pillar.
Over time, the letter Q – short for Quadrifoglio – became part of Alfa Romeo’s nomenclature. It still marks special technologies today. Q4 means four wheel drive, Q2 for limited slip differential. In the past, Alfa Romeo also used the designations Q-Tronic and Q-System for certain variants of automatic transmissions.
In the current model range, the four-leaf clover is represented by the top versions of the Giulia and Stelvio series. Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio and Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio are powered by a 2.9-liter twin-turbo engine that delivers 375 kW (510 hp).
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