Raikkonen and Heidfeld will be the youngest and most inexperienced pairing on the grid, but they will be driving what the Sauber team believes will be a competitive and reliable car, launched to the media yesterday. Conceived earlier to boost mechanical reliability and kick-start initial development, the new C20 enjoyed a successful first rollout a week ago, and is the product of the outfit s established, talented technical squad. Reliability was a key target for engineers, as well as the aerodynamic package, which, with the FIA s new regulations that have reduced downforce, is even more critical in 2001. The revised technical regulations forced us completely to rethink our aerodynamic package, said Mullarkey. And what you see on the C20 will change as the car develops further through the season.
Aerodynamic research is an area of Formula One car design which never ceases.
Weight reduction was identified as a weak point of the C19, and the team worked particularly hard on that aspect over the winter. Fewer overall components, and especially lightweight suspension parts have helped engineers to produce a car well under the minimum 600kg limit, allowing the positioning of ballast in key areas. Reduced weight will allow us to run more ballast and to position it in a wider range of locations, said Sauber Technical Director Willy Rampf. For the fifth year in a row, Sauber will use Ferrari engines in its cars. The unit to be used this year is the 1999 Monza-spec 048, badged as Petronas, Sauber s major backer.