The Alfa Romeo C43 was the final Formula 1 chassis to carry the historic Alfa Romeo name in competition before the Hinwil-based outfit rebranded as Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber for the 2024 season. Spark Model's resin 1:18 scale model car fixes a specific moment from that farewell campaign: car No. 77 in the hands of Valtteri Bottas at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on 30 July 2023, Round 11 of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship. For collectors tracking the Swiss team's lineage, the C43 represents a clean endpoint to an era.
Built on a Ferrari-derived technical platform, the C43 ran the Ferrari 066/10 1.6-litre V6 turbocharged hybrid power unit, along with Ferrari-supplied gearbox and rear suspension. The aerodynamic package was a revised evolution of the C42, with updated sidepods and floor geometry introduced for 2023. It was the last F1 car designed and raced under the Alfa Romeo nameplate, closing a branding chapter that had run continuously since the 2019 season.
Bottas, Orlen Livery and the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix
Valtteri Bottas drove car No. 77 for Alfa Romeo F1 Team Orlen throughout the 2023 season — his third consecutive year with the organisation. At Spa-Francorchamps, the C43 carried the team's red, white, and dark green livery featuring prominent Orlen branding, the Alfa Romeo cross, and the cloverleaf motif inherited from the 2022 scheme. Orlen, the Polish state-owned energy company, was the team's title sponsor and gave the entry its full name. The Belgian GP weekend on 30 July 2023 was a difficult one for the team.
Spark Model and the 1:18 Resin Construction
Spark Model is a French manufacturer whose 1:18 Formula 1 releases are built in resin — a material that allows precise reproduction of complex aerodynamic surfaces, winglet profiles, and livery graphics that define modern F1 machinery. The C43 No. 77 is part of Spark's 2023 F1 range and reproduces the Spa-Francorchamps specification of the car, including the Orlen livery in full race trim. Spark also produces the same car in 1:43 and 1:64, but the 1:18 edition gives the greatest surface detail.
In the Display Cabinet — Where This Model Belongs
This model fits naturally into a complete 2023 F1 grid collection alongside Bottas's team-mate Zhou Guanyu in the C43 No. 24 from the same Belgian GP. It also pairs logically with the preceding C42 No. 77 from 2022 and the Stake F1 C44 from 2024, tracing the Sauber organisation's chassis evolution across three seasons. For Bottas collectors, it complements earlier Spark and Minichamps releases from his Mercedes period and rounds out the Alfa Romeo chapter of his career in 1:18.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Alfa Romeo C43?
The C43 was Alfa Romeo F1 Team Orlen's 2023 Formula 1 challenger. It used a Ferrari 066/10 1.6-litre V6 turbocharged hybrid power unit along with Ferrari-supplied gearbox and rear suspension, and featured a revised aerodynamic package compared to its predecessor, the C42.
Why is the C43 historically significant for collectors?
The C43 was the last Formula 1 car raced under the Alfa Romeo name. The team rebranded as Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber for 2024, making any C43 model the final chapter of Alfa Romeo's modern F1 branding.
Who drove car No. 77 at the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix?
Valtteri Bottas drove the Alfa Romeo C43 No. 77 at Spa-Francorchamps on 30 July 2023. It was his third season with the team, running the full 2023 championship under the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Orlen name.
Who makes this 1:18 scale model and what is it made from?
It is produced by Spark Model, a French manufacturer specialising in resin-cast racing car replicas. Spark's 1:18 Formula 1 models are resin construction, which allows accurate reproduction of aerodynamic surfaces and livery details.
