Sauber C32 launch: First pictures and video

2013 F1 cars

February 2, 2013 at 11:08 am by
131 comments

The Sauber C32 has been revealed by the team at its base in Hinwil, Switzerland.

The team aim to build on a successful 2012 season which included four podium finishes. But they have an all-new driver line-up to get used to with Nico Hulkenberg arriving from Force India to partner their former reserve driver Esteban Gutierrez.

“We have very high expectations of them and they know that,” said team principal Monisha Kaltenborn prior to the car’s launch.

Sauber C32, 2013“We put some good foundations in place last year. And now we want to build on that base and continue to improve as a team,” Kaltenborn added.

She played down suggestions that the team were aiming to break into the top five in 2013: “We’re not saying we want to finish in this or that position in the standings, as ultimately other factors will also come into play that are outside our control. What we can be clear about, however, is that we want to continue on our upward curve.”

Kaltenborn is starting her first full season as team principal, a position she inherited from Peter Sauber last year.

“On the one hand, not that much has changed for me since I took on the role, because I was already involved in a lot of things beforehand – like the team principal meetings, which I’ve been attending for some time already.

“On the other hand, it is still something special because now all the responsibility rests on my shoulders. And that creates a certain extra pressure, of course.”

Chief designer Matt Morris said the C32′s predecessor was an “extremely competitive car” and the new car aimed to “eliminate its few weaknesses”.

“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.”

More pictures of the drivers’ helmets can be found in their updated biographies:

2013 F1 season


Browse all 2013 F1 season articles

Images © Sauber

Read more: 2013 F1 cars | 2013 F1 season | F1 Pictures | F1 Video | Sauber

Advert | Go Ad-free

131 comments on Sauber C32 launch: First pictures and video

1 2 3 4

  1. Andy S said on 2nd February 2013, 11:09

    Much much better livery.

    Reply
  2. Avatar Image

    tandrews (@tomand95) said on 2nd February 2013, 11:09

    HRT from 2010?

    ReplyReport user
  3. Avatar Image

    mrjlr93 (@mrjlr93) said on 2nd February 2013, 11:09

    i like it alot

    ReplyReport user
  4. Avatar Image

    Tyler (@tdog) said on 2nd February 2013, 11:09

    Much better livery.

    ReplyReport user
  5. Avatar Image

    MilleniumBug (@milleniumbug) said on 2nd February 2013, 11:09

    Sweet-looking thing there

    ReplyReport user
  6. Avatar Image

    AB (@laform) said on 2nd February 2013, 11:09

    Dark grey… remember the first HRT car livery?

    ReplyReport user

    • Oople said on 2nd February 2013, 11:12

      I don’t think it’s as dark a grey as the HRT…

      The position of the white and red is much better than the HRT, it gives it a slicker look than the lazily dumped colour, IMO.

      Reply
  7. Avatar Image

    Gareth (@gazz1989) said on 2nd February 2013, 11:13

    Is it me or is there a rather large lac of sponsos on this car?

    ReplyReport user
  8. Avatar Image

    Chris (@tophercheese21) said on 2nd February 2013, 11:13

    That is a dam fine car. The dark livery makes it look menacing! And the nose has a modesty panel.

    Lotus has thus far been incorrect on every team “having the step”. Aside from themselves.

    ReplyReport user
  9. Avatar Image

    Giggsy11 (@giggsy11) said on 2nd February 2013, 11:14

    Very smart, its different I like it. I can see the comments about how it looks like the HRT in 2010 coming from a mile off. The nose looks very interesting. Its nose looks much lower compared to the rest of the field so far, I wonder if they’ve missed a trick here or are very confident about getting enough air to the floor of the car. The sidpods also look very small and aggressive. Not bad at all Sauber.

    ReplyReport user
  10. Avatar Image

    Max Jacobson (@vettel1) said on 2nd February 2013, 11:17

    The sidepods are particularly interesting. The intakes appear incredibly small and the car is very tightly packaged towards the rear, which may help aerodynamics. Are Sauber using the McLaren-style Coanda, Red Bull tunnels or something else?

    ReplyReport user

    • Candice said on 2nd February 2013, 11:19

      mclaren style.

      Reply
    • Avatar Image

      Cosmas (@cosmas) said on 2nd February 2013, 13:21

      @vettel, you are right, these are the most compacted sidepod’s until now.
      Something else a noticed but i ‘am not 100% sure because of the not so clear photos , is the front suspension.
      It looks like the steering axle is embedded with the upper wishbone the same way as the rear suspension of RB8 was with the drive axle (which is copied this year by both ferrari and mclaren).
      I don’t know if this i possible but except the two wishbones i see only the push rod suspension.

      ReplyReport user
      • Avatar Image

        Max Jacobson (@vettel1) said on 2nd February 2013, 13:34

        @cosmas – no problem! Interesting point you’ve raised regarding the front suspension, I’ll have a look to see if there’s anything on Scarbs etc. on the subject.

        The sidepods suggest to me that Sauber have found a more effective way of packaging all the internal components and improving cooling efficiency, which may mean that the car is now less draggy due to the decreased frontal surface area (which should help top speed). However, I wonder how the packaging will affect the efficiency of the exhaust-generated downforce, as the shape may affect the flow attachment and possibly the coke bottle flow. It may yield positive results and maybe not; I guess we’ll find out soon enough!

        ReplyReport user
    • Avatar Image

      Cosmas (@cosmas) said on 2nd February 2013, 13:26

      @vettel1, i forgot the 1 Max

      ReplyReport user
    • Avatar Image

      Cosmas (@cosmas) said on 2nd February 2013, 13:56

      @vettel1, i think you could see it better in this photo (from AMuS) better.

      ReplyReport user
  11. Avatar Image

    IrishF1 (@anto) said on 2nd February 2013, 11:17

    Very nice. Much better than the zebra crossing livery they had last year!

    ReplyReport user
  12. Avatar Image

    Funkyf1 (@funkyf1) said on 2nd February 2013, 11:18

    Great looking car :) nice livery!

    ReplyReport user
  13. Avatar Image

    ME4ME (@me4me) said on 2nd February 2013, 11:19

    Wow, seems some people at Sauber have been reading F1fanatic!

    The new car looks beautiful!

    ReplyReport user

    • Oople said on 2nd February 2013, 11:25

      I was thinking just that!

      It’s a shame they couldn’t incorporate more Blue into the Colour Scheme…
      Currently Red is on EVERY car launched, so far!

      Reply
  14. Avatar Image

    sam3110 (@sam3110) said on 2nd February 2013, 11:20

    Would look better black with a red and white design, white wings imo

    ReplyReport user
  15. Avatar Image

    Ivano (@ivano) said on 2nd February 2013, 11:21

    “We have very high expectations of them and they know that,” said team principal Monisha.

    She tries too hard to prove her position, and ends up sounding like a rhetorical mafia boss. Oh Peter, why…

    ReplyReport user
1 2 3 4

Add your comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All comments must abide by the comment policy. Comments may be moderated.
Want to post off-topic? Head to the forum.
See the FAQ for more information.