Alfa Romeo 177
 Alfa Romeo 177 (1977-spec) in Alfa Romeo Museum. |
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| Category | Formula One | ||||||||
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| Constructor | Alfa Romeo | ||||||||
| Designer(s) |
Carlo Chiti Robert Choulet |
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| Predecessor | 158/159 | ||||||||
| Successor | 179 | ||||||||
| Technical specifications | |||||||||
| Chassis | Aluminium monocoque | ||||||||
| Wheelbase | 2,740 mm (107.9 in) | ||||||||
| Engine | Alfa-Romeo 115-12 2,995 cc flat-12 naturally aspirated, mid-engined, longitudinally mounted | ||||||||
| Transmission | Hewland-Alfa Romeo 6 manual | ||||||||
| Weight | 610 kg (1,344.8 lb) | ||||||||
| Fuel | Agip | ||||||||
| Tyres | Goodyear | ||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||
| Notable entrants | Autodelta | ||||||||
| Notable drivers | 35.  Bruno Giacomelli36. Vittorio Brambilla
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| Debut | 1979 Belgian Grand Prix | ||||||||
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| Constructors' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
| n.b. Unless otherwise stated, all data refer to Formula One World Championship Grands Prix only. |
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The Alfa Romeo 177 was a Formula One car used by the Alfa Romeo team during the 1979 Formula One season, debuting at the 1979 Belgian Grand Prix. The 177 marked Alfa Romeo's return to Formula One, 28 years after winning the World Drivers' Championship titles in 1950 and 1951.
The car was constructed by Alfa Romeo's racing department Autodelta, and featured a Carlo Chiti designed Alfa Romeo flat-12 engine which had been used earlier in the Alfa Romeo 33TT12 and 33SC12 sports cars. In 1976 this engine was supplied to Brabham and the deal continued until 1979.
The 177, the designation of which was derived from the fact that its design was commenced in 1977, was a bulky car finished in the handsome dark red colour adopted by Autodelta. The 177 featured a riveted aluminium chassis, with front suspension by upper rocking arms, lower wishbones and inboard-mounted coil spring/damper units. The rear suspension featured parallel lower links, single top links, twin radius rods and outboard coil spring/damper units.Bruno Giacomelli had won the 1978 European Formula Two Championship in a March and was hired to drive the new Alfa Romeo 177; he used this car at Belgian and French Grands Prix.
The Alfa Romeo 179 with a new V12 engine was ready for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza so Giacomelli drove the new car while the 177 was raced by Vittorio Brambilla. Both drivers raced the 179 thereafter.
Giacomelli qualified the car strongly at Zolder for the Belgian Grand Prix, lining up in 14th place, only two seconds off the pole-time of Jacques Laffite's Ligier, and ahead of more experienced competitors, most notably both McLaren cars. A poor start left him in 18th place on lap 1, but he slowly made his way through the field through the misfortune of others, only losing ground to the McLaren of John Watson, surging through the pack from his lowly grid position. He had made it to 13th position by lap 21 with the Shadow of Elio de Angelis chasing hard. De Angelis tried to pass at the chicane, but clumsily clouted the Alfa Romeo, damaging Giacomelli's rear wing and putting both cars out of the race.
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