Sauber unveil new C32 F1 car at Hinwil 

Written by David on February 02nd, 2013 at 1:55 pmLast Update: February 02nd, 2013 at 1:55 pm

Sauber drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Esteban Gutierrez unveiled today at the team’s headquartes in Hinwil, Switzerland, their 2013 car, the Ferrari powered Sauber C32.

The F1 technical regulations have barely changed going into the 2013 season and yet the new Sauber C32 Ferrari is a very different proposition visually from its predecessor – thanks to a smooth, slightly downward-sloping nose section and, principally, much slimmer sidepods.

Sauber Ferrari C32

“Over the course of last season we invested a lot of time and energy in developing a better understanding of our car. To this end, we focused primarily on the aerodynamic effects around the rear of the car. Our aero experts have done some great work in this respect, the basis of which has been used to develop the C32,” said Matt Morris, Sauber’s Chief Designer.

“We had the opportunity to test with the new generation of tyres at the last race of the 2012 season at Interlagos. Although there are some differences in the construction of the tyres, as a whole the changes are minimal, which means there was no need for a fundamental redevelopment in this area,” he added.

Looking at the front end of the new Sauber C32, the nose now sweeps down smoothly towards the track, which not only improves the car’s looks, but, more significantly, enhances the aerodynamics. With the front wing, the aerodynamicists have put their faith in a proven formula, further optimising last year’s development and thus improving its aerodynamic efficiency.

The engineers also remained true to the basic concept of the front suspension, carrying out only minor adjustments.

The sidepods of the C32 are notably slimmer than the Formula One norm up to now and are responsible for giving the new car a very distinctive look. “The airflow in this area has a major influence over everything that happens at the rear of the car,” said Morris.

An extremely slim rear end was high up the engineers’ list of priorities. One of the key aspects here is the arrangement of the radiators, which is very different from that in the C31. A look at the rear end of the new car reveals the engineers’ rigorous approach to this area.

Sauber Ferrari C32

The aerodynamicists have also invested a lot of time developing the details around the exhaust exits – an area which has a major impact on performance and in which the Sauber F1 Team was one of the leading exponents last season.

As before, the car’s KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System), engine and gearbox are supplied by Ferrari. The KERS is based on last year’s version, but its weight and packaging volume have been optimised.

The rear axle is a totally new development. Although it still works according to the pullrod principle, its layout has been designed to better interact with the airflow around the rear of the car, while further improving the tyre management.

Another high priority was reducing the car’s overall component weight, to allow a better distribution of the ballast, while retaining its structural requirements and mechanical setup flexibility.

Like last year, the Sauber F1 Team will use a basic version of the car for its rollout event and introduce a major update before the first race of the season.

Sauber C32 Technical Specificiations:

  • Chassis: Carbon-fibre monocoque.
  • Front Suspension: Upper and lower wishbones, inboard springs and dampers activated by pushrods (Sachs Race Engineering and Penske).
  • Rear Suspension: upper and lower wishbones, inboard springs and dampers actuated by pullrods (Sachs Race Engineering and Penske).
  • Brakes: six-piston brake callipers (Brembo), carbon-fibre pads and discs (Brembo)
  • Transmission:: Ferrari 7-speed quick shift gearbox, carbon, longitudinally mounted, carbon-fibre clutch
  • Chassis electronics: McLaren Electronic Systems (MES)
  • KERS: Ferrari (Magneti Marelli)
  • Steering Wheel: Sauber F1 Team
  • Tyres: Pirelli P Zero
  • Wheels: OZ
  • Length: 5.240 mm
  • Width: 1.800 mm
  • Height: 1.000 mm
  • Track width, front: 1.495 mm
  • Track width, rear: 1.410 mm
  • Weight: 642 kg (incl. driver, tank empty)

Ferrari 056 Engine:

  • Type: Naturally aspirated V8, cylinder angle 90 degrees
  • Cylinder block: Sand cast aluminium
  • Valves / valve train: 32 / pneumatic
  • Displacement: 2,398 cc
  • Bore: 98 mm
  • Weight: > 95 kg
  • Electronic injection and ignition

Images © Sauber F1

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