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After four
seasons using BMW engines the BMW Sauber team, now back
in the hands of its founder Peter Sauber, yesterday
unveiled its new 2010 season F1 car, the C29, which
returns the Swiss team once more to using Ferrari power.
Sauber previously used Ferrari customer engines and
gearboxes from 1997 to 2005 which were however badged by
its sponsor, Petronas.
The Ferrari
engine era ended for Sauber at the conclusion of the 2005
F1 season, rounded out with a points finish for now Ferrari
driver Felipe Massa at the Chinese Grand Prix, as BMW
bought out out the majority of the team. Yesterday Sauber unveiled the C29
which will hit the track today as pre-season testing in
Valencia gets underway, the car uncovered by the team's
two new drivers, the experienced 38-year Spaniard Pedro de
la Rosa who has 71 grands prix under his belt and
Japanese youngster Kamui Kobayashi who impressed
onlookers during
the handful of races he contested at the end of last
year for Toyota.
The car,
which features a very high nose and integrated
double-diffuser, was presented without any sponsors on
its flanks, and the team has reduced its headcount by
from 400 to 260 staff since BMW dropped ownership. "I hope we
will see more [sponsors] and I'm sure we will see more
when we start racing or maybe when we start the European
season," Peter Sauber said yesterday. "We had not a lot
of time to look for sponsors; we started close to
Christmas, it was a very difficult time to find
sponsors, especially big sponsors. The season is
financially secure, but of course we have to look very
hard for new sponsors, not only for 2010 but especially
for 2011 and on." Sauber
added that the chassis budget for the new C29 was around
40 percent of that spent to build the previous F1
single-seater a year ago. Curiously
despite the use of Ferrari engines this year the team will retain the BMW Sauber name. "It is not planned
[to change the name] before the start of the
season," Sauber said, adding: "we entered the 2010
season as BMW Sauber and this is the name."
"The last few months have been very intense for us,"
continued Sauber. "First we had to battle to secure the
survival of the team and then we focused on putting a
strong set-up in place for the future. The technical
preparation of the 2010 car has continued uninterrupted
and according to plan since the spring of 2009, despite
all the turmoil." Sauber is however confident he
has the right driver line-up to secure the team's future this year: "We have a
long tradition of bringing together an up-and-coming
youngster and an experienced campaigner as a driver
combination - and it's an approach that has brought us a
lot of success. Pedro has been working at the highest
level technically for many years and for a top team, and
we can benefit as a team from this experience. Young Kamui also has a lot to offer us, and last year he
impressed me particularly in Abu Dhabi."
"The development of the BMW Sauber C29 has seen the team
build on the experience gained last year and the
improvement in performance over the final third of the
season," said Technical Director Willy Rampf. "However,
the new regulations banning refuelling during the race
and stipulating a reduced width for the front tyres have
required significant changes to the car's design."
De la Rosa arrives at the team as he returns to
full-time F1 racing following seven years spent as McLaren's test and
reserve driver. "At last I can feel like a proper racing
driver again," said the Spaniard. "I've really missed
the competition out on the track. At the same time,
though, I've learned a lot technically and on the
systems side, and now I want to bring that knowledge to
the team." Kobayashi, who scored points last year during
his brief stint with Toyota is delighted to secure the
drive. "I'm very proud that Peter Sauber has shown so
much faith in me and I'm determined not to disappoint
him," said the Japanese youngster. "My aim is that he
will end up being proud of me as well."
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