33 (Type 907) 1983-1995

Having been around the AROC/ARCA paddock since I was just one week old in 2019, I decided it was finally time to get my ARDS test and join the grid myself.

I started looking online for a suitable car to race in the championship and was immediately drawn to a stunning green Alfa Romeo 33 1.7 8v Class F car that was due to come up for sale at East Anglia Car Auctions.

Long story short, the Alfa 33 came home with me.

After a small recommissioning programme and a successful track day at Brands Hatch, the Alfa 33 was prepared and ready to go racing once again.

The first race meeting for both myself and the Alfa 33 would be the Italian Festival at Brands Hatch, competing in the All-Comers Race within the Italian class. The grid featured an eclectic mix of machinery, ranging from Ferrari 458s to MGB V8s and Mazda RX-8s.

Conditions remained dry throughout the morning, but as we sat in the collecting area waiting for qualifying, the heavens opened, making for an exciting and challenging first qualifying session. Despite the difficult conditions, we secured P9 overall and P3 in class.

Race 1 was held in dry conditions and was very much about learning the car in a competitive environment. We enjoyed a close battle with an Alfa 75 3.0 throughout the race and ultimately finished where we started, in P9 overall and P3 in class.

Race 2 brought more changeable weather, although the track was dry for the start. Once again, we found ourselves in a fantastic battle with the Alfa 75 3.0. A decisive move around the outside at Druids allowed us to take the position before pulling clear and setting our sights on the Alfa MiTo ahead.

As the race entered its final lap, we closed the gap, and on the last corner of the last lap, we managed to dive up the inside to take the lead in class. It was a dramatic finish and a fantastic way to end our first race weekend together.

The result was P6 overall and P1 in class — a brilliant achievement for both car and driver on our debut race weekend.

Donington Park marked my first outing in the ARCA Championship and was another valuable weekend of learning and development with the Alfa 33.

The weekend went well overall, and I was pleased with both my progress behind the wheel and the increasing confidence I was building with the car. Throughout the races, we continued to improve our pace and gain experience racing against established championship competitors.

The highlight of the weekend came in Race 2, where we secured P3 in class, adding another podium finish to the season.

As well as gaining valuable track time, the weekend helped us identify several mechanical issues that would need to be addressed over the winter. These lessons provided a clear direction for the off-season work, ensuring both car and driver would return stronger and better prepared for the following season.

Over the winter, we have been busy improving and upgrading many areas of the Alfa Romeo 33 race car.

One of the major jobs was addressing some corrosion on the underside of the car. We also removed the rear wheel well and boot floor, replacing them with a lightweight aluminium boot floor. To carry out this work, we had to strip the rear axle and brakes from the car, which gave us the perfect opportunity to refresh the rear suspension. All of the bushes were replaced with Powerflex items, and we fabricated an adjustable Panhard rod to provide greater setup flexibility.

One of the biggest upgrades we made was to the braking system. At the rear, we converted the standard drum brakes to discs using Alfa Romeo 147 rear calipers fitted with Ferodo DS2500 brake pads.

To complement the improved rear braking performance, we also upgraded the front brakes. The new setup features Porsche Boxster Brembo calipers, Fiat 500 Abarth front discs, and Ferodo DS3000 front pads, providing significantly increased stopping power and consistency.

The front suspension was also removed and overhauled, mirroring the work carried out at the rear. This included fitting new Powerflex bushes, new wheel bearings, and a set of lower arms that had been donated to us. These feature rose-jointed rear mounting points, allowing for increased suspension adjustment and improved setup options.

The next major upgrade involved the wheels and tyres. The Alfa 33 had previously been running 13-inch wheels with F3 slick tyres, but it was time for an upgrade. The car now runs on 15-inch wheels fitted with MRF slick tyres, offering improved grip and performance.

To accommodate the larger wheels and upgraded brakes, we extended the wheel arches to provide the necessary clearance and coverage. We were also fortunate enough to acquire an Alfa 75 Cloverleaf front bumper, which was fitted along with a front splitter to improve both the appearance and aerodynamics of the car.

Finally, we installed lightweight Plexiglas windows and removed excess metal from the doors and tailgate, helping to reduce weight and further enhance the car’s performance on track.

The Alfa Romeo 33 has undergone a significant transformation over the winter, and we are looking forward to seeing how these upgrades translate into performance when the car returns to the circuit.

For one of the 33 first  outings sins all off the modifications in 2023 we took it to National Alfa Day at Bicester Heritage Centre as part of a Alfa Romeo championship race car display where we enjoyed a fabulous day surrounded bye lots of stunning Alfa Romeos.

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