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Sergio Marchionne wants Alfa Romeo back in F1

It's been decades since Alfa Romeo has competed in Formula One. But if Sergio Marchionne gets his way, it could make a comeback soon. Now we know what you might be thinking: Alfa Romeo and Ferrari are both part of the same Fiat Chrysler Automobiles group, so why would Marchionne want two brands competing against each other in such a costly racing series? Because technically speaking, Ferrari is no longer part of FCA, that's why. They share mostly the same owners and are run by the same person (Marchionne), but the Prancing Horse marque recently split off from its former parent company and floated its own shares on the stock market. That makes it a separate entity, and also means that FCA no longer has a direct link to F1. But its chief executive clearly thinks the investment is worthwhile. Marchionne has been known to state grandiose plans, but he's also been known to carry through on many of them. So the next question is, if the plan goes through, just how Alfa Romeo might participate in F1? Some automakers (like Mercedes) field their own teams, others (like Honda) compete as engine suppliers, and still others (like Infiniti) as branding partners. Alfa could go either route, but Marchionne told Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport that "Alfa Romeo is able to make itself a chassis, and it is able to make engines." Of course, that doesn't mean that it necessarily will. It could outsource a chassis from a constructor like Dallara, which is located near the same Varano circuit that Alfa uses regularly. It could also source an engine from its former sister company: Marchionne floated the possibility of starting a separate engine program in Maranello for Red Bull when it was hunting for a new engine partner, and could ostensibly do the same for Alfa Romeo. "In order to re-establish itself as a sport brand, Alfa Romeo can and must consider the possibility of return to race in Formula 1," said Marchionne. "How? Probably in a collaboration with Ferrari." Alfa Romeo first competed in F1 in the early 1950s, winning the world championship two years running in 1950 with Giuseppe Farina (scion of Pininfarina) and 1951 with Juan Manuel Fangio. It then dropped out, only to resurface as a full constructor team between 1979 and 1985, with limited results. It also supplied engines to an array of teams in the 1960s, '70s, and '80s.

You can buy President Donald Trump's old Ferrari F430

You don't see this every day: This Ferrari F430 was formerly owned by President Donald Trump. Judging by the car's title, that point is indisputable. That makes it both a celebrity-owned vehicle, and a Presidential vehicle. It's quite the two-for-one. It could also become yours if you have the dough. This Ferrari comes from the second, presumably less famous owner, and will go for auction at the Auctions America event in Fort Lauderdale. The auction runs from March 31 to April 2, with the F430 crossing the block on April 1. Considering the original owner's tastes, it's a little surprising how restrained this car is. It's in classic Ferrari red with a tan leather interior. Not many options were added either, according to the original dealer sticker. The whole list includes red-painted brake calipers, an optional style of power seat called "Daytona," Scuderia Ferrari shield badges, and an upholstered headliner. In the end, combined with the destination charge, Trump's Ferrari came out to a little under $198,000 (its base price was $184,000). Auctions America expects to get a bit more for it. The auction estimate is $250,000 to $350,000. It also has just under 6,000 miles and is complete with all of its manuals, tool kit, and service records. If it were our money though, we'd go off and find an F430 that wasn't owned by a celebrity, and with a true manual transmission, as opposed to the paddle-shifted F1 gearbox in this model. Both characteristics would make it cheaper, and more fun to drive. Related Video:

Newlyweds crash rented Ferrari into a house

A newly married couple had a rough wedding day when they crashed their rented Ferrari into a house in Burnley, Lancashire. Lancashire Road Police tweeted a photo on April 17 of a white Ferrari 458 Spider that crashed into a row house. The crash folded the hood nearly in half and completely destroyed the car's front fascia but no one was injured, according to the Daily Mail. The car, worth a cool 240,000 pounds, or 342,500 dollars, is owned by a rental company called Platinum Executive Travel. The son of the company's owner, Aleem Iqbal, made a statement on Twitter after the crash, assuring his tens of thousands of followers that he was not at the wheel of the mangled Ferrari when it went into the wall. "Thanks for all the kind messages," Iqbal tweeted from his personal account. "I wasn't at the wheel and nobody was injured that's the main thing, have had a lot worse in business." In a follow up tweet he stated, "At least people in Burnley will have something to talk about for a few weeks." Iqbal's statement about worse things happening in his business is true, and this is not the first of PET's pricey supercars to be destroyed. Within a five-week period in 2014, arsonists destroyed four of PET's cars worth more than 500,000 pounds or 713,000 dollars. In one attack, a Lamborghini Aventador rented for a wedding was torched outside a house in Luton. Iqbal called that attack a "vile act of jealousy" targeting the family of the newlyweds. Weeks later, two Audi R8 Spyders and a Bentley Flying Spur were firebombed at the PET offices in Yardley. The Daily Mail has contacted Platinum Executive Travel for an official statement about the Ferrari crash, but has not received a response. The driver and passenger of the wrecked Ferrari were not identified. Related Video: News Source: The Daily Mail, The Mirror, TwitterImage Credit: Lancashire Road Police Weird Car News Ferrari Driving Performance Supercars rental car