 |
|
Earlier this week Sauber presented the new
C30-Ferrari at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in
Cheste near Valencia, Spain before taking
part in the official test. |
|
|
|
For a second
consecutive season the Swiss-based Sauber team will be
using Ferrari's 2.4 V8 '056' in the back of its
single-seater making it three teams on the F1 grid to be
once again be propelled by Prancing Horse engines
alongside Ferrari and Toro Rosso. Earlier this week
Sauber presented the new C30-Ferrari at the Circuit
Ricardo Tormo in Cheste near Valencia, Spain before
taking part in the official test.
Two thousand and eleven sees the Sauber F1 Team
embarking on its ninteenth Formula One season. Leaving
behind the upheavals of 2010 that followed the
metamorphosis from a works BMW owned to a private team,
the aim is to present itself in 2011 with renewed
stability.
Team Principal Peter Sauber outlines the targets: "We
want to finish in the points regularly and clearly
improve our position in the FIA Formula One
Constructors' World Championship." He goes on to
elaborate: "Two thousand and ten marked the 41st year of
our company history and one of the most difficult. But
we managed to overcome these difficulties in the second
half of the season. We implemented some well-considered
structural changes. The appointment of James Key as
Technical Director already bore fruit last season, and
he is now in charge of development of the Sauber
C30-Ferrari. At the same time, we have managed to secure
our business foundation for the 2011 season. In these
economically straitened times that is something we can
be proud of too."
Young drivers
As for the drivers, the team looks forward with keen
anticipation to continuing to work with Kamui Kobayashi,
and with eager curiosity to Sergio Pérez. The Japanese
driver, who turns 25 in September 2011, is embarking on
his second full Formula One season. In 2010 he drew
attention to himself with his high speed on track,
stunning overtaking manoeuvres and reliable
implementation of race strategies. He made very few
mistakes and earned 32 of the team's 44 World
Championship points. "My rookie season is now behind
me," says Kobayashi. "I learned a lot, gained a lot of
self-confidence, and my target for 2011 is not to make
any mistakes."
The team's new rookie is Sergio Pérez. He hails from
Mexico and celebrated his 21st birthday in January 2011.
He took his first Formula One test with Sauber in Abu
Dhabi in November 2010, having finished as runner-up in
the GP2 Championship. "I'm aware how challenging Formula
One is from both a driver's point of view and
technically," says Pérez. "I've got a lot to learn, and
in Kamui I have an excellent yardstick. My personal goal
is to make steady progress. The support I'm getting back
in my home country is huge, and I don't want to
disappoint anyone over there either."
Pérez isn't the only Mexican in the Sauber F1 Team:
Esteban Gutièrrez is standing by as test and reserve
driver. Born in August 1991, he is a good one-and-a-half
years younger than his compatriot. Sauber had already
taken Gutièrrez under its wing in 2010 as an affiliated
driver. The youngest member of the team swept up a
commanding GP3 Championship win last year and will be
competing in GP2 in 2011. "I've still got a long way to
go," Gutièrrez is only too aware, "but ever since the
two days of testing with Sauber, at the end of 2009 and
the end of 2010, Formula One has been my goal."
New car
The aim is for the Sauber C30-Ferrari not just to prove
more reliable than its predecessor; there were a number
of other weaknesses to be banished as well. One of the
overriding targets is to improve aerodynamic efficiency,
low-speed cornering, mechanical grip and to gain more
flexibility in suspension tuning. The new technical
regulations certainly presented the engineers with a
tricky assignment, since the ban on double diffusers
fundamentally alters the car's aerodynamic concept.
Another tough challenge was the switch to Pirelli tyres,
which meant the engineers had to make decisions during
the concept phase before the teams had a chance to test
the tyres out on track. Further changes stipulate a ban
on the F-duct and the adjustable front wing. Instead,
the rear wing may now be adjusted by the driver, and the
KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) is once again
available to run. The striking visual features of the
Sauber C30 are a raised front, slender waist, compact
rear, new rollhoop and downward-sloping engine cover.
Propelling the car as before is the Ferrari 056 engine,
while power delivery is courtesy of a new Ferrari
transmission. The KERS also comes from the Maranello
factory.
Technical Director, James Key, summarises: "In order to
take a step forward in 2011, we were already
systematically tackling the C29's weaknesses over the
last season – and we've made progress. The insights we
gleaned were taken into account when the concept for the
new C30 was being drawn up. Since some of the changes
decreed by the regulations – particularly regarding the
tyres – can only be analysed out on track, it was
important for us to build, firstly, a fundamentally
predictable car and, secondly, one that would provide
sufficient flexibility to respond to ongoing findings at
the track and during further development stages."
One thing is clear: the status of the car at the rollout
in Valencia on 31st January 2011 is only the start. As
part of the development programme, the team will be
fitting the C30 with a new aerodynamic package before
the curtain raiser in Bahrain.
New partner
New on the car are the logos of Telmex, Claro and Telcel
– all three brands belong to America Movil, the Central
and Latin American telecommunication group.
Interproteccion is an insurance group from Mexico. Also
a new partner from Mexico is the Tequila brand Jose
Cuervo. Familiar, as they have appeared on the team's
cars for a long time, are the Swiss names of sport watch
manufacturer Certina and automotive group Emil Frey AG.
Also known from last season is the logo of Mad-Croc
(Energy Gum, Chews and Drinks)
|
|
|
