The last round of the 2023 season also marked the end of the partnership between Sauber and Alfa Romeo, with the Italian brand thus deciding to say goodbye to Formula 1 and end a relationship that lasted a good six years. For this reason, the Swiss team will present itself at the starting line of the 2024 world championship with a new identity and a renewed livery, strengthening the bond with Stake which, after having already been a partner in 2023, this year has taken on the role of main sponsor.
Pending the arrival of Audi in 2026, Sauber will therefore face two seasons under the name “Stake F1 Team”, given that the new partner has also acquired the naming rights of the team. Thus opens another chapter in the history of the Swiss team, eager to move up the rankings after a 2023 lacking in particular satisfactions but also to continue the path of strengthening undertaken in recent years.
Behind the scenes, new hires are in fact underway thanks to targeted investments, which have the aim not only of strengthening the structures but also the staff, as with the arrival of James Key in the second half of last year. Among the technical innovations on the C44 include the transition of the front suspension to the pull rod scheme and the revision of the central area of the single-seater: in addition to a completely redesigned airscope, we note the presence of the Red Bull-inspired trays to better convey the air underneath the bellies. The debut is scheduled for this week in Barcelona.
Clean C44
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Photo by: Sauber F1 Team
Clean C44
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Photo by: Sauber
Clean C44
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Photo by: Sauber
Clean C44
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Photo by: Sauber F1 Team
Clean C44
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Photo by: Sauber F1 Team
Clean C44
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Photo by: Sauber F1 Team
Clean C44
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Photo by: Sauber F1 Team
Clean C44
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Photo by: Sauber F1 Team
Clean C44
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Photo by: Sauber F1 Team
Clean C44
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Photo by: Sauber F1 Team
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Photo by: Sauber F1 Team
Clean C44
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Photo by: Sauber F1 Team
However, even the team manager, Alessandro Alunni Bravi, is aware that it will take time to put all the pieces of the puzzle together and that the other teams have not stood by and watched. Nonetheless, there is a climate of trust in the team, with the hope that the work carried out in the winter will allow us to take steps forward and attempt to climb up the rankings.
“Being at the start of this new era doesn't mean we'll get better performance right away: everything we've done over the winter, however, makes us optimistic that we can take a step forward. We have worked hard under the direction of our new Technical Director, James Key, to develop our project and our car in all areas, making more extreme decisions and trying to improve every single detail”, explained Alunni Bravi on the sidelines of the presentation of the C44, the latest born in Hinwil, which will make its debut on the track this week during a filming day in Barcelona.
“The new technical group has taken a step forward. At the same time, however, we are realistic: we have to see what the other teams, our competitors, did during the winter. We know we have improved and we will soon see if this improvement will be enough to compete for a better position.”
Talking about objectives is always complicated, as well as being a risky exercise, because at the beginning there are always many unknowns and doubts that will only be answered during the championship, but it is clear that Sauber is pushing to make improvements in all areas. In recent months the Swiss team has invested in purchasing new equipment which has made it possible to accelerate the development and production process of the updates, an aspect which in 2022 had significantly penalized the team's ambitions.
Sauber C44
Photo by: Sauber F1 Team
At the same time, top management is also investing in new equipment and new personnel, for example to improve performance at pit stops, another element in which Sauber has shown some signs of difficulty in recent years. “We can't talk about specific objectives, because it's always about numbers: our objectives are clear, that is, to improve the performance of our car and our package,” explained the team manager.
“By package I mean every sector, from the racing team to track operations, to pit stops, to strategy: it's not just about the performance of the car, we are committed in all departments to take this step, this is the objective.”
Alunni Bravi has not set specific targets, but it is clear that the ambition is to improve the ninth place obtained in the last championship, thus redeeming a disappointing year which ended with only sixteen points. After a first part of the season in which it managed to enter the top ten on four occasions, in the second half of the world championship its opponents made considerable progress, making the most of the opportunities available, an aspect which pushed Sauber towards the ninth place finish .
“I think the team is capable of taking a step forward and has every opportunity to do so. Last year we finished ninth in the constructors' championship: obviously the minimum objective must be to improve this position. We have to be realistic, the season will be very long: it's not just about being competitive at the start, but about developing the car from January to December, giving our best as a team in every race and making the most of all the opportunities that arise in the future. course of the season.”
Sauber C44
Photo by: Sauber F1 Team
“If we are able to give our all throughout the season and keep our focus on what our job is, which is to improve the performance of the car, to improve the operations of the team, to improve the way we work, then I am convinced that we will take a step forward. How much this pace will be, the track will tell.”
The same pairing of Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou has also been confirmed for 2024, who will defend the Sauber colors for the third consecutive year. Although there was no shortage of opportunities to sign with other drivers, in the end the Swiss team chose stability.
“Valtteri is a very experienced guy: we all know that his contribution, both off the track and on the track, is extremely valuable for the team. We saw it last year, especially in the last part of the season, when he was really competitive in qualifying. We just need to be able to translate qualifying performance into good race pace.”
“Last year we had some ups and downs: at some tracks we were able to be fast on Saturday, but then our race pace wasn't enough to compete for points. On the other hand, elsewhere we were strong in the race, but our qualifying position was really behind and this would have compromised our race strategy. Valtteri is really good at managing his race, but he is also able to extract the most from the car: we have to give him the tools to do so,” explained Alunni Bravi.
“Zhou was a surprise to many, but not to us. She is very talented and has constantly improved her performance. Over the last two seasons his technical background has really grown, and he is improving in all the areas required of a driver: he is still a young driver reaching a point where he needs to make a further leap: the steps he has made are really good , and we expect more from him.”
Watch: F1 Videos | Sauber presents the C44
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