Sauber launch 2016 Formula1 car ahead of 2nd pre-season testing tomorrow

Sauber became the last Formula1 team to launch their car today ahead of 2nd pre-season testing tomorrow which begins in Barcelona.

Sauber became the last Formula1 team to launch their car today ahead of 2nd pre-season testing tomorrow which begins in Barcelona. The Hinwil based team has experienced financial problems and as a result, had to use a modified 2015 car at the first pre-season test last week. The 2016 car is christened Sauber C35. The outfit has released images on the car online.

Speaking ahead of the rollout of the new car, which will take place in the Barcelona pitlane on Tuesday morning, Kaltenborn said: “We want to clearly improve.”

“Obviously, there’s a certain position we’d like to achieve.

“But, to start with, it’s important to become established in midfield.

“Only then are we going to focus on individual positions.”

Felipe Nasr has previously acknowledged the threat of newcomer Haas and admits it is tough to know where Sauber will rank among its rivals.

“It’s difficult for me to predict how the positions behind the top teams are going to pan out this season – and where we’ll be able to line up in that part of the field,” he said.

“The whole team has been working very hard to explore areas in the car that we can improve. That’s why I’m confident that we’ve made progress.”

Team-mate Marcus Ericsson added: “The battle for positions is getting fiercer.

“But I’m convinced that, with the new car, we’re going to take a step forward so that we can finish in the points with greater consistency and under our own steam.

“Last year we managed a good start. In the second half of the season it was a harder struggle for us to score points.

“This season I’d like to see us being in contention for points and fighting on a level where speed is decisive.”

Sauber’s technical director, Mark Smith said that Sauber’s decision to take part in the first test, even in the C34, was beneficially especially in terms of gather tyre information.

“Ideally, we would have been there with the new car but in terms of schedule, that didn’t work out because of date change and so on.

“But with limited testing nowadays, whenever you go to the pre-season tests with new cars, there are so many things you need to work through that lots of other ‘nice to do’ stuff – a lot of it around tyres in terms of canvas sweeps and all sorts of sweeps – you never get the chance to do.

“I believe we’ll gather some quite useful information that will be applicable 2016 so it’s definitely.”

Source: Autosport

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