The Sauber team unveiled its new look for the 2024 F1 season at London’s City Hall this week, with Zhou Guanyu expressing high expectations for his third year, and eagerly anticipating his home race in China.
After ending its partnership with Alfa Romeo, Sauber will compete as the “Stake F1 Kick Sauber team” for 2023 and 2024, before embarking on a strategic collaboration with Audi from 2026. The newly branded C44 car was presented in a green and black livery.
Chinese driver Zhou enters his “third-year” in F1, continuing alongside Valtteri Bottas. Theo Pourchaire, the reigning F2 champion, will contest the Japanese Super Formula this year while also serving as the Swiss outfit’s reserve and test driver.
The C43 car that Sauber fielded in 2023 saw a drop in competitiveness, finishing ninth in the constructors’ championship. Zhou scored six points, with three ninth-place finishes, while Bottas managed only 10 points across the 22 races. Both drivers expressed the desire for a significant improvement in the 2024 car, as the team acknowledged development had veered off course last year.
Sauber 2023 vs. 2024
Photo by: Sauber
New Technical Director James Key joined the Swiss squad last September, and although the C44’s design was already underway, the British engineer, who previously worked at Toro Rosso and McLaren, brought his expertise to the project. He described the 2024 car as “visibly different, more aggressive, more refined. It’s a more advanced, ambitious, and potentially more capable car.” The team aims to challenge the midfield in the upcoming season.
Saab C44
Photo by: Sauber F1 Team
“We’ve put in a lot of effort since last season, especially in the second half and after the summer break, to make sure as a team we understand where we need to improve and what plans need to be executed in the factory over winter,” Zhou said. “Now it’s time to bring all that work together and take the car to the track. Expectations are very high, but until we start competing against others, we won’t know exactly where we stand. However, a lot of hard work has gone into this car, and I’m very excited to get behind the wheel soon.”
The Chinese Grand Prix returns to the F1 calendar after a five-year absence, with Zhou set to make history as the first Chinese driver to race in his home event. As the fifth round of the season and the first sprint race weekend, tickets for the Chinese GP have been in high demand, with Zhou’s fan grandstand completely sold out.
“It’s fantastic news, especially as F1 returns to China after five years,” he commented. “Seeing the growth in the fan base over the past few years, I’m happy to have contributed a little, but it’s great to see more and more young generations of drivers starting in karting overseas, working hard to pursue motorsports with dreams of reaching F1. I’m very excited not just for my sold-out grandstand, but also for the sprint race weekend, which will offer more entertainment and more racing action for the fans. It’s definitely going to be a memorable event.”
Zhou and Bottas will get their first taste of the C44 during a filming day at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya on New Year’s Eve, ahead of the pre-season testing in Bahrain from February 21-23, in preparation for the season opener.