Sauber aiming to improve with the new C30

Last Monday saw the launch of the Sauber C30-Ferrari, which will carry Peter Sauber’s team through its 19th season in F1. The car uses Ferrari running gear; with the prancing horse supplying a new transmission and KERS system to supplement the Ferrari 056 engine, as used by Sauber last season.

As far as drivers are concerned, the crowd-pleasing Japanese pilot, Kamui Kobayashi, will remain with the team for 2011; whilst the second seat will be filled by Sergio Perez, a Mexican driver who finished second in the 2010 GP2 series.

With such a promising driver line-up, Sauber hope the C30 will allow the team to ‘finish in the points more regularly and improve [their] position,’ with the team’s main targets in development having been to improve the flexibility of suspension tuning, aerodynamic efficiency and improved low-speed cornering.

To this end, Sauber employed James Key – previously Sauber’s technical director – to develop the C30; who claims to have used his knowledge of the C29’s weaknesses as grounding when developing the C30.

However, the banning of double-diffusers and the adoption of Pirelli tyres leave the team with a considerable challenge. Sauber hope to tackle this through the creation of a predictable base set-up which will give the C30 scope for adjustment on the rigours of on-track testing.

Sauber aim to improve upon their 8th place finish in the 2010 constructors championship, and the early days of testing – whilst never a perfect indicator – show promise for the team.

Out on the track, Sergio Perez managed 42 laps of Valencia on his first day of testing, coming in as 10th fastest driver of the day. Testing continues in Valencia but, to capitalise on the C30’s potential, Sauber plan to fit the car with a new aerodynamic package before the season’s opening grand-prix in Bahrain.