F1 | Sauber changes wing and starts from the pits hoping for rain

The Canadian Grand Prix race will start in a few hours, but there are already some interesting news and, above all, some bets. The two Saubers, who were eliminated yesterday at the end of Q1, will start today’s race from the pits after a setup change.

In fact, in the document released by the commissioners it emerged that the Swiss team chose to break the Parc Fermé by replacing the rear wing on both cars with a different specification from the one used in qualifying. According to the regulations, in fact, each team must maintain the same specification from the moment parc fermé begins, i.e. from the moment the cars leave the pit lane in qualifying, until the start of the race. Otherwise, it is expected to start from the pit lane, as for the 2 Saubers this afternoon.

However, in this case it seems to be a conscious choice. At the beginning of the weekend, the Hinwil team presented itself with a new, flatter rear wing in the hope of finding greater competitiveness on the straights, with higher top speeds. Compared to the opponents, in fact the lighter winger brought by Sauber had its effects, guaranteeing better numbers at the end of the extensions, although the load was affected, especially towards those teams that had opted for a more loaded configuration.

“We brought a new rear wing and it made us take a step in terms of top speed, but not enough, everyone is improving, I think we need to find something more,” said Bottas at the end of qualifying, explaining how there was It was a step forward with the more unloaded wing, but not enough to beat the rivals and overcome the Q1 trap. In fact, the C46 also suffered from dips in the asphalt which, although reduced with the new asphalt, are still present: the Swiss single-seater is very sensitive to varying heights from the ground, as also seen in Monaco.

Given that the cars would have started from the back anyway, Sauber opted for a different move, choosing to replace the rear wing to fit a more loaded solution that could guarantee more stability in case of rain. The hope, therefore, is that of a “chaotic” race that can offer opportunities with a different setup than the one used in qualifying.

Furthermore, Sauber has also chosen to replace the battery and the control unit on the Finn’s single-seater by fitting a third unit for both components. A decision that triggered a penalty which, however, Bottas will not actually serve as he has to start from the pit lane.