2012 Sauber C31

[Chris Jenkins]

Where's this being launched? Nothing mentioned on the Sauber website.

 

[S4Sonny]

Where's this being launched? Nothing mentioned on the Sauber website.

It's on their Official Facebook page.

http://www.facebook.com/sauberf1team?ref=ts


Right now, they're currently being briefed upon the release.

 

[S4Sonny]

The press have just arrived.

Eager to see how they mixed the black into their new livery and see how it turns out.

Sad to see James Key gone, hope Kamui & Sergio have a fast car!

 

[Chris Jenkins]

Keep us updated.
I can't get on Facebook at work.

 

[S4Sonny]

Here is the Sauber C31!

 

[Ivo Simons]

One sec to late hehe.
Looks nice imo.

 

[Hampus Andersson]

 

[S4Sonny]

It looks disgusting the colours, I was excited when they said they were going to use Black as a part of their livery.... now I don't know what to say... not a good mix considering Red, Black & White could've been used better.

Oh well, hope it's fast!

 

[Hampus Andersson]

1900x1200 - Good Wallpapers

 

[Ivo Simons]

I love the livery and black rims is always good imo.

 

[S4Sonny]

Looking on it again, I guess I like the overall livery, just don't agree with the black used for the entire nose.

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Front end​

The engineers opted again to go with a high chassis design. However, according to the new 2012 regulations, the nose cone needs to be lower, which is a safety requirement. As a result, the nose cone has quite a different shape to how it was in the past. The chassis itself shows absolute minimum cross sections all the way to the cockpit.​

By an overall tidier design, the front suspension has been optimised for integration with the chassis and the upright. Otherwise it’s a traditional layout with a pushrod and a high-level wishbone. The dampers and springs are packaged quite differently compared to the C30 in order to support a new philosophy for the set-up of the front suspension.​

The design of the new front wing benefited from directions the engineers were pursuing towards the end of the 2011 season.​

​

Centre section​

Packaging was further optimised under the side pods in order to open up more aerodynamic development scope in that area. The cooling layout is based around a similar philosophy to the C30, because that proved to be effective. It helps to get the volume of the coolers forward and allows the design of very compact rear bodywork.
Also with the roll-hoop the engineers were able to use the C30’s design as a good baseline, and managed to improve what was already a lightweight and aerodynamically efficient solution.
The KERS that Ferrari provided in 2011 was very effective. There were no major issues with its operation or reliability. For the new season Ferrari has improved the system even further.

Rear end​

A familiar element of the car is the Ferrari engine, onto which an all-new carbon transmission is bolted – also supplied by Ferrari. The longitudinally mounted transmission is a very tidy, neat unit. The entire rear of the car is much more tightly packaged, helped by the gearbox design, and in addition the engineers have gone in some new directions around the floor at the back of the car. The exhaust tailpipe positions are regulated in 2012, which has had a further effect on how the bodywork design has been set out.​

The rear suspension is now a pullrod design. It shows a long pullrod towards the front of the gearbox and wide angled wishbones. This design allows improved packaging of the rear spring and damper elements. Despite the change from pushrod to pullrod, in terms of kinematics the engineers maintained a similar direction to the one they went in for the C30.​

The rear wing will again manage without a centre pylon. It is mounted to the endplates and the lower wing, and, of course, maintains its DRS capability.​

Morris explains: “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.”​

Finally, Morris casts a glance at the next steps after the roll-out of the Sauber C31-Ferrari: “The current plan is to launch a fairly basic roll-out version of the car, which was defined quite some time ago. We will then be testing development parts during the upcoming weeks with a late upgrade for the first race on 18th March in Australia. Therefore the car will look quite different in Melbourne compared to the roll-out car.”​

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Sauber C31-Ferrari
Chassis

carbon-fibre monocoque​

Front suspension

upper and lower wishbones, inboard springs and dampers (Sachs Race Engineering) actuated by pushrods​

Rear suspension

upper and lower wishbones, inboard springs and dampers (Sachs Race Engineering) actuated by pullrods​

Brakes

six-piston brake callipers (Brembo), carbon-fibre pads and discs (Brembo)​

Transmission

Ferrari 7-speed quick-shift carbon gearbox, longitudinally mounted, carbon-fibre clutch​

Chassis electronics

MES​

KERS

Ferrari​

Steering wheel

Sauber F1 Team​

Tyres

Pirelli​

Wheels

OZ​

Dimensions

Length 5.195 mm
width 1.800 mm
height 1.000 mm
track width, front 1.495 mm
track width, rear 1.410 mm​

Weight

640 kg (incl. driver, tank empty)​

Ferrari 056 Motor
Type

naturally aspirated V8, 90° cylinder angle​

Engine block

sand-cast aluminium​

Valves / valve train

32 / pneumatic​

Displacement

2,398 ccm​

Bore

98 mm​

Weight

> 95 kg​

Electronic injection and ignition​

 

[David Carter]

Well i like it

 

[Chris Jenkins]

Now I'm used to the step-noses, it doesn't look too bad.
Red Bull in less than 3 hours

 

[zlep]

I thought it couldn't get uglier then the Ferrari. Well, I was wrong..

 

[Chris Jenkins]

I thought it couldn't get uglier then the Ferrari. Well, I was wrong..

Really? I think this looks a lot better than the Lego Ferrari.

 

[Eric Parker]

Meh, good luck to them. I would really like to slap who ever at the FIA didn't see this kind of nose coming in their new rules.

 

[zlep]

Meh, good luck to them. I would really like to slap who ever at the FIA didn't see this kind of nose coming in their new rules.

The question is, what can they change to avoid the duck noses 2013? They surly don't change the rules cause they did it for the safety.

 

[Chris Jenkins]

I'm sure if McLaren can make it work, other teams will follow suit.