The C41, Sauber Motorsport’s newest F1 competitor who directs and operates the Alfa Romeo F1 team, was unveiled in Warsaw today.
A limited number of senior team members were in attendance at the unveiling, which took place in the stunning backdrop of the Grand Theater in the Polish capital – media, fans and team members were invited to take a virtual look around regarding local COVID regulations.
Drivers Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi and reserve driver Robert Kubica took the stage when the C41 was unveiled in all its glory in a striking new livery.
With a novel color scheme designed by Alfa Romeo’s Centro Stile and featuring the team’s now traditional red and white colors, the car designed under the coordination of the technical director Jan Monchaux represents an evolution of the C39.
Due to the restrictions imposed by the regulations, the car carries over many components of its predecessor, yet still has a new look, especially with regard to the nose cone, which the team focused on when developing its development tokens.
A new Ferrari engine lurks under the body and will be ready to roar in less than a week when the team kicks off a new season on Friday with the shakedown of the C41 in Barcelona.
Co-title partner ORLEN plays a prominent role on the body and maintains its position on the side pods, on the halo and on the rear wing. The Alfa Romeo logo with Visconti’s snake-cross crest is flanked by the quadrifoglio – a four-leaf clover – traditionally associated with Alfa Romeo’s racing efforts, and the logo of Autodelta, the brand’s legendary competition division. Returning and new partner logos adorn the bodywork and help create one of the standout cars on the grid – a classic design that embodies the passion and tradition of the brands it represents.
With the car unveiled, the team is now focused on shakedown the car and the crucial three days of pre-season testing in the Sakhir desert (March 12-14). This year’s discounted test session in Bahrain is the only chance the team has to optimize their product ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix at the start of the season.
“The introduction of a new car is always an emotional moment,” said Frederic Vasseur, “the culmination of months of efforts by everyone at the plant and the beginning of a new adventure.
“I think the philosophy on which the team is based remains the same. We have to do a better job tomorrow than we do today. We finished last season in P8, so we have to get a better result in 2021.”
“To achieve this, we have to keep improving in every department, on the track and back at headquarters. Every team on the grid currently has very high expectations: All teams expect to do a good job and be in good shape in the winter are.” Position for the first race but soon it will be time for everyone to show their cards. “
“The C41 is the result of a very unusual situation in Formula 1,” added Technical Director Jan Monchaux, “in which we were unable to develop a completely new car for this year due to the regulations.”
“Because of this, our 2021 car has a lot in common with the C39, with the exception of the ones we were forced to change due to regulations – such as the floor – and the nose cone in which we invested our two development tokens.
“That means we know the car a lot better when testing it than usual, but it will still be crucial to make the most of these three days to check that the reality is what we expected and to get to know the new tires. We are ready for the new season and we can’t wait to see our new car on the track. “
Check out our C41 gallery here.
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