Sauber finished second-last in the final season of its contract with Alfa Romeo and the Swiss team is hoping that its fresh start branding-wise will herald an upturn in results. The Sauber C44 features several changes compared to the C43, including a switch to pull-rod suspension on the front. This means that it has pull-rod on the front and pushrod on the rear, mirroring the approach taken by reigning champion Red Bull Racing. The engine inlets on each sidepod now have a protruding lower lip, while the undercut is more prominent than on the C43.
‘The C44 is virtually a completely new car, with a few carry-over areas at the rear of the car,’ said technical director James Key, who joined Sauber after the C44’s development had started.
‘The team had to take an ambitious direction well before I joined: there are many mechanical changes, some of which you can’t see at all, but some are very visible.
‘The front suspension is completely new, a tough and ambitious project for a team of our size, there are many aerodynamic changes, too, as would be expected given that this remains the primary area of development – so, overall, the car will really look quite different to last year’s car.’
