Sauber C32 Ferrari

[PhantomPoster]

On the other hand you have Newey saying any bigger vanity panel then what they run would be unjustifiable.
And they run a tiny little thing on the RB.

But what I find very interesting on this matter is the "S-Duct". We know RBR have copied the C31 with the duct, and the C32 has kept it too. Both Sauber and RBR have kept the step. Maybe this is related?

- PP

[hollus]

Although we don't really know yet, it looks (feels) like they are trading downforce for low drag, basically by sacrificing the efficiency of the diffuser (less air in the rear, less agressive exhaust pointing). This diffuser would then regain some downforce at high speed compared to the other cars, as the effect of the exhaust becomes relatively less important.
Maybe they are trying to make a Spa special?
This would make strategic sense. The design of this year's car largely cannot be carried on to 2014, so why make a good midfielder car that will maybe net you one podium? Last year they got plenty of podiums, what they need now is a victory, which would mean money in sponsorship for 2014, and in 2012 they came close to sniffing one precisely in Spa.
If you remember 2007, Force India had this OK-lowish midfield car, that lacked downforce but was very slippery, and they came alive in Spa, where arguably they should have won, and shined again in Monza, only to fade away when the average speed decreased.
So maybe it does make sense to make a car that will shine only with high average speeds and suffer in downforce circuits. Better (this year) to be 15th regularly and 1st or 2nd on occasion than to be 8th all the time? It might also result in more points that way.
Is there anyone in Sauber from the Force India 2007 design team?

[Huntresa]

I hardly Think they are sacrificing diffuser, I mean the undercut is same concept as red bull just that they added overcut as well and lowers nose cause the diffuser is alrdy feed enough, you remember rb also lowerd nose late in 2012

[RB7ate9]

Although we don't really know yet, it looks (feels) like they are trading downforce for low drag, basically by sacrificing the efficiency of the diffuser (less air in the rear, less agressive exhaust pointing). This diffuser would then regain some downforce at high speed compared to the other cars, as the effect of the exhaust becomes relatively less important.
Maybe they are trying to make a Spa special?
This would make strategic sense. The design of this year's car largely cannot be carried on to 2014, so why make a good midfielder car that will maybe net you one podium? Last year they got plenty of podiums, what they need now is a victory, which would mean money in sponsorship for 2014, and in 2012 they came close to sniffing one precisely in Spa.
If you remember 2007, Force India had this OK-lowish midfield car, that lacked downforce but was very slippery, and they came alive in Spa, where arguably they should have won, and shined again in Monza, only to fade away when the average speed decreased.
So maybe it does make sense to make a car that will shine only with high average speeds and suffer in downforce circuits. Better (this year) to be 15th regularly and 1st or 2nd on occasion than to be 8th all the time? It might also result in more points that way.
Is there anyone in Sauber from the Force India 2007 design team?

Thinking about it, there may be a pattern to the thinking of going for a particular attribute and doing it well. Case in point, the Sauber in 2012 was very sturdy and good on its tires. The result was podiums. That essentially put them back on the map (at least in my eyes) compared to 2011. So a push for a solid victory on merit would be a boon. Oddly enough, I would've thought a "[Grand Prix] Special" would've been the first priority for Caterham or the other new teams after their first or second year, when they would at least have gotten a baseline car, and so could push for a stunning (albeit merely points-scoring) single-GP racer.

Overall, my impressions of the car show an overall package that looks fast, but perhaps doesn't have as many elements for max-df, as you say. Gorgeous, but it may shoot for low-df tracks like Monza, Spa, and some of the Tilke-o-dromes (China, Bahrain, CoTA). Either way, I really want Sauber to get to the top step this year.

[Shakeman]

On the other hand you have Newey saying any bigger vanity panel then what they run would be unjustifiable.
And they run a tiny little thing on the RB.

But what I find very interesting on this matter is the "S-Duct". We know RBR have copied the C31 with the duct, and the C32 has kept it too. Both Sauber and RBR have kept the step. Maybe this is related?

- PP

It's not possible to know if keeping the step is due to the "S Duct" as you put it but whether a team keeps the step or installs a vanity panel will be on a car by car basis. Some teams will find a positive net benefit others will not depending on the flow structures of a particular car.

Sauber have more exhaust iterations to test between now and the start of the season according to launch interview. I would expect it to follow the development of Macca's last year with the fine tuning of placement and then refinement.

[Lurk]

I have an idea/question about exhaust pointing associated to their tiny sidepods: as C32 sidepods being "nicer" to the airflow and providing a smaller expansion area, could the exhaust plume be less disturbed by the airflow, allowing exhausts to be pointed directly at the edge of the diffuser instead of tyres, like Ferrari or McLaren?

[Nando]

Exhaust tips are pointed at the tires though.

-
Frankly i think we haven´t seen the full concept yet, i bet there´s more stuff to be added around that area as we get closer to AUS.

[Thunder]

Yeah i think so too, they will be adding som Bits and Parts here and there so we get a good understanding of what they are trying to do until the last testing Days.

I am confident they will get this Concept so work. It has to, such a beautiful Car HAS to be quick.

[Lurk]

Exhaust tips are pointed at the tires though.

Not really...
(hi res)
http://www.formule1.nl/media/uploads/me ... 290.06.jpg

[Nando]

Exhaust tips are pointed at the tires though.

Not really...
(hi res)
http://www.formule1.nl/media/uploads/me ... 290.06.jpg

Correct, i had a bit more odd picture i looked at.

Seems it´s half tire, half inside.

[stefan_]

Jerez - Day 2

[Nando]

MOAR sidepod pictures

[zonk]

that livery is not good.

the livery is a "come back" to the original one, that Sauber had in their debut year in 1993.



White "stuff" was a leftover after BMW.

[Nando]

Had no idea about that thanks.

[Huntresa]

Do we know if Sauber has a New fw to go along with the New car ? Saubers fw from last year is good but not made för this car.