2010 BMW Sauber C29 and 2009 BMW F1.09 compared (Pictures)

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2010 BMW Sauber C29 and 2009 BMW F1.09 (click to enlarge)

The most striking difference between the new BMW Sauber C29 and its predecessor, the BMW F1.09, is the lack of and major sponsors on the new car.

But there are some notable design changes on the new car. Designer Willy Rampf has followed the 2010 trend for high noses and smaller, more sculpted sidepod air intakes. Like the later version of the F1.09, it also has a ‘shark fin’ at the back.

Compare the 2009 and 2010 cars below.

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2010 BMW Sauber C29 and 2009 BMW F1.09 (click to enlarge)

Images scaled so rear tyre dimensions match.

The longer, higher nose immediately catches the eye, and the wing is now mounted closer to the front wheels instead of from the tip of the nose.

Another distinctive feature is the ‘shark fin’ at the back of the car. This was present on the F1.09 at the end of last year as well as on the McLaren MP4-25 launched on Friday.

Like its 2010 rivals the back of the C29 is longer and wider to accommodate the larger fuel tank. The team have also had to cope with a switch to the Ferrari engine and gearbox – even though the car will still be called “BMW Sauber”.

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2010 BMW Sauber C29 and 2009 BMW F1.09 (click to enlarge)

Images scaled so front wing dimensions match.

We can also see the trend for high, upswept sidepod air intakes has continued here as well.

The front wing looks similar to the version raced at Abu Dhabi but with some detail changes, notably on the end plates.

Note: Because of the different zooms, angles and focal lengths used a perfectly accurate comparison is not possible.

2010 F1 car launches

Image (C) BMW Sauber

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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25 comments on “2010 BMW Sauber C29 and 2009 BMW F1.09 compared (Pictures)”

  1. When Sauber’s biggest sponsor’s are ‘de la Rosa’ and ‘Kobayashi’ on the engine cover, it’s time to start worrying about their future. If BMW isn’t contributing to their budget (as Honda did to Brawn’s), and they have lost their right to the ’09 TV money, where on Earth are they going to find the money to compete this season?!

    1. Ferrarish and redbullish this year we are going to see some big disasters

      1. all the coswoth powered teams are going to battle for the last position next is bmw and renault and on top of course mclaren, mercedes, ferrari,red bulls

  2. If they change their name, they will apparently lose the TV money, which is why they would appear to be sticking with the BMW name. As for the sponsors, yeah thats a good point indeed. They should have some deals being finalised behind closed doors though :)

    1. So as long they keep the name they’re going to get the TV money? I haven’t seen this point clarified anywhere yet but I hope they do get the money. I wonder if Panasonic are still interested as well.

    2. “If they change their name, they will apparently lose the TV money”

      Nonsense. So Mercedes GP is losing the money too?

  3. God, the shape is such an improvement over last years’

    I hope Sauber can get some sponsorship, mind you I heard Peter Sauber only took over the team to save it and so if they can last the year he might be able to find someone to buy the outfit.

    1. Agreed, some of their previous cars could have had better aero if they had been built in lego.

  4. The front wing of the C29 is a thousand times dearer than that of the F1.09

    1. *dearer to look at, I mean

  5. quite a long snout

  6. Front wind supports seem over complicated and expensive to me, might be a stroke of genius like the RB5 high nose.

  7. Prisoner Monkeys
    31st January 2010, 21:05

    Has someone forgotten to tell Sauber that they’ve gone and purchased an A1GP chassis?

  8. car looks good <3

    cant wait to see the new teams cars. I wonder if they will look the same.

  9. Jarred Walmsley
    31st January 2010, 22:15

    I think that Kobayshi is bringing some of Toyota’s old sponsors, hopefully that includes Panasonic and some big companies

  10. We want turbos
    31st January 2010, 22:32

    Look like they sent their whole buget on the front wing.

  11. Prisoner Monkeys
    1st February 2010, 0:01

    I’m going to relinquish my former position: I don’t think it looks like an A1 car anymore. That was my initial reaction when I saw it at 1am this morning, and some of the shots weren’t exactly taken from particualrly flattering angles.

    I think the C29 is aggressive, but it doesn’t look revolutionary. The most noticeable new feature is the way the front wing is attached to nose; everybody else does it as close to the front as they can reasonably get away with, but Sauber have chosen to mount it much further back, with the supports at an angle. If the Renault R30 is a bumblebee, then the Sauber C29 is a shark. It has none of the polish or elegance of the McLaren MP4-25, but then, it doesn’t need it. This thing looks like it was designed to scythe its way through the competition.

    1. Prisoner Monkeys
      1st February 2010, 0:02

      The interim livery also gives it an industrial edge, one that I like because I think it suits the car. I hope Sauber can work that into the final livery design.

  12. To me the nose section is the biggest difference in the C29.

  13. Wow, the 2010 cars look better than 2009. Feels bullet like, but it’s sharp though and the length looks really long because of the illusion. But it’s strange to have BMW in the Sauber team using Ferrari engine and gearboxes. Not right for marketing. Overall the launches look good so far and hope the racing will be too.

  14. If BMW had not woefully messed up their exit from F1, perhaps Sauber might still have had Petronas as a sponsor.

    1. Prisoner Monkeys
      1st February 2010, 7:49

      Then again, maybe not – Petronas wanted to be affiliated with a top team. It’s why they’re not working with Lotus as many people expected.

      1. as i am aware off one of the main reasons for Petronas to be in f1 is to promote their lubricants in Europe. With BMW gone and that period if Sauber would or wouldn’t drive this year so uncertain it was fair to say their move to Mercedes was sound as they want to be tied to a top tier team rather than a mid range team. A bit unfortunate for sauber tho… Especially when the company is now the 8th most profitable company in the world and 80th in the fortune 500 listing.

  15. Not bad looking. I’m really quite amazed how ‘heavy’ a lot off the cars look in the middle (yes I no its for extra fuel).

    I sincerely hope these guys can get serious sponsorship as we may well loose them which would be a real shame. I wonder if BMW have been as generous as Honda was to Brawn…

  16. the Sri Lankan
    3rd February 2010, 9:35

    hey keith, whats the goss on the panasonic sponsorship? it would look pretty nice on this car i must admit

Comments are closed.