Sauber C31 launch – first pictures and video of Sauber’s 2012 F1 car
2012 F1 cars
Sauber have unveiled their contender for the 2012 F1 championship.
The C31 was revealed today in Jerez and will be driven by Kamui Kobayashi and Sergio Perez this season.
Sauber finished seventh in the championship last year. However just days before the launch of their new car the team announce technical director James Key, who had been with them since 2010, was leaving the squad.
Sauber C31, 2012
Chief designer Matt Morris says the team’s 2012 F1 car is a combination of new ideas and concepts developed from its predecessor.
Following the launch of the Sauber C31 in Jerez, Morris said: “The C31 is revolutionary where we had fresh ideas, particularly at the rear of the car, and it is an evolution where we knew we could carry over certain approaches. We had to improve on the weaknesses we identified on the C30, but at the same time we wanted to maintain its strengths.
“We had established some good directions to go in towards the end of last year with the C30 which we wanted to continue with, particularly some of our DRS developments, and some of the ways we were opting for with the car’s set up in order to improve our qualifying performance without compromising our race pace.”
Morris added he expects the ban on exhaust-blown diffusers to help the team: “Because of the new definition in the rules we know that the disadvantages we had last year with a lack of the strong exhaust effect will be less of an issue for us now. As a result we evolved further our directions from C30 regarding the overall aero development of the car.”
He added the car “will look quite different in Melbourne” once further upgrades are added to it.
Sauber C31 pictures
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- Sauber C31 launch, 2012
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- Sauber C31, 2012
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- Sauber C31 launch, 2012
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- Sauber C31 launch, 2012
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- Sauber C31, 2012
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- Sauber C31, 2012
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- Sauber C31, 2012
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- Sergio Perez 2012 helmet
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- Sergio Perez, Sauber, 2012
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- Kamui Kobayashi, Sauber, 2012
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- Kamui Kobayashi, Sergio Perez, Esteban Gutierrez, Sauber, 2012
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- Kamui Kobayashi, Sauber C31, Jerez, 2012
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- Kamui Kobayashi, Sauber C31, Jerez, 2012
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- Kamui Kobayashi, Sauber C31, Jerez, 2012
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- Kamui Kobayashi, Sauber C31, Jerez, 2012
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- Kamui Kobayashi, Sauber C31, Jerez, 2012
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- Kamui Kobayashi, Sauber C31, Jerez, 2012
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- Kamui Kobayashi, Sauber C31, Jerez, 2012
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- Kamui Kobayashi, Sauber C31, Jerez, 2012
Kamui Kobayashi driving the Sauber C31
2012 F1 cars
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- A closer look at the Caterham CT01
- Mercedes W03 officially revealed in Spain
- Picture: Mercedes W03 spied at Silverstone
- Mercedes W03 spotted testing at Silverstone
- Williams FW34 launch: First pictures of their 2012 F1 car
- Toro Rosso STR7 – first pictures and video of Toro Rosso’s 2012 F1 car
- Red Bull RB8 launch – first pictures and video of Red Bull’s 2012 F1 car
- Sauber C31 launch – first pictures and video of Sauber’s 2012 F1 car
Browse all 2012 F1 cars articles
Image © Sauber F1 Team
Funkyf1 (@funkyf1) said on 6th February 2012, 12:02
Does a gold nose make the STR a duckbilled platypus?
Secret insight into the RB8
http://www.planetf1.com/off-on-f1/7483886/Secret-Diary-Of-Adrian-Newey-53-
JuanFanger said on 6th February 2012, 12:40
Love the F2012 reference “Not so much Maranello as Manilow”.
Can almost hear Felipe singing:
“Well you came and you drove without overtaking
And I sent you ahead, oh Nandy
And you passed me and stopped me from winning
And your faster than me today, oh Nandy”
tkcom (@tkcom) said on 6th February 2012, 12:14
It’s like as if Sauber wanted to go back to C12 scheme but had a change of heart at the last minute.
Also, that’s the skinniest duckbill we’ve seen so far. Koba better be careful with those!
Girts (@girts) said on 6th February 2012, 12:17
The best looking picture is the one of a smiling Perez without the car.
HUHHII (@huhhii) said on 6th February 2012, 12:23
Sauber is taking “The ugliest car of the year” competition quite seriously. They’re serious championship contender in that race for sure!
testguy (@testguy) said on 6th February 2012, 12:41
Trying to find a simgle redeeming quality… nope, it’s not working.
Livery looks like somebody slapped a lot of stickers on it at random.
Joey-Poey (@joey-poey) said on 6th February 2012, 14:10
This is easily my favorite Sauber livery of the last few years. I feel like they could bring a bit more detail and complexity to it, but I like this direction. It’s aggressive and distinct.
Walton174 (@walton174) said on 6th February 2012, 14:23
At least they had a “try” at creating an appealing livery this year, thats all you can really say
UKFan (@) said on 6th February 2012, 14:30
black rims black livery it looks badass may not be pretty but it looks aggressive.
Pika said on 6th February 2012, 14:56
Black rims always look badass!!!
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) said on 6th February 2012, 16:25
Added pictures of Kobayashi doing the first laps in the C31 at Jerez.
Damon said on 6th February 2012, 17:27
Weird that sauber have easily had the worst looking car since 2010 yet they receive more praise than most other teams…
Fixy (@fixy) said on 6th February 2012, 17:28
The car is great and actualy – apart from the nose, obviously – it looks better than last year’s.
The livery on the other hand… last year’s was good, this is a step backwards. It looks perfect from the side, but from the front the too-dark-grey nose looks as though there were no spares and an unpainted piece was put on the car (much like what happened to Davide Valsecchi at the Nurburgring last year in GP2).
Curious to see Perez has gone back to that yellow colour he used in GP2.
Fixy (@fixy) said on 6th February 2012, 17:28
*actually
Marcus (@jadedwriter) said on 6th February 2012, 17:32
The livery reminds me of Kung Fu Panda.
Electrolite said on 6th February 2012, 18:08
And mine and @Magnficent-Geoffrey ‘s beloved team shows once more that they cannot/will not get a proper livery together – but you know what? I love how ridiculous this thing looks. Its completely eccentric, and lovable, like an old Citroen or something.
UKFan (@) said on 6th February 2012, 18:34
Very thin tipm surprising to have only seen it in the Sauber I thought the whole idea was to get as mush air as possible beneath the nose, obviously Sauber passed the crash test for this thin nose.