Alfa Romeo has been a great title sponsor for Sauber. At corporate events, the riders felt like members of a factory team of a famous brand, took part in the events – everything looked quite logical.
It would make sense to return to the Sauber brand before a future transition to Audi, if one takes place, but the team owners opted for a different approach so that the team will be called Stake F1 in some stages over the next two years. in others, where online casino advertising is banned, they will act under the Kick brand, a streaming platform owned by the same Stake.com.
The identity change and the 14th name change took place before the start of the 32nd season in the team’s history, but the consecutive numbering of the models, named after Peter Sauber’s wife Christiane, remained. The new car, presented by the team from Hinwil, Switzerland, was awarded the C44 index.
Photo gallery: Presentation of ring C44
The team showed the C44 presentation on the Stake.com platform, where viewers had to register in advance.
The team had no leader, Alessandro Aluni Bravi remained in the role of “representative” and talked about a new page in the team’s history, about the upcoming reboot, which was symbolized by the new corporate colors – a combination of black and acid green. The drivers’ overalls and the new car looked like this: It would be easy to spot on the track.
Alessandro Aluni Braviteam spokesperson: “The new vehicle unveiled today is the result of the work of Jace Key and his engineering team, as well as all the men and women at the Hinwil base.
The premiere of a new car is always a special moment, especially when it marks the beginning of a new era, the era of the Stake F1 team. We have a new name and are excited about all the plans, both on and off the track. We have confidence in this car and in our team: we will not talk about specific goals, because it is always difficult to talk about numbers, but our goals are clear: to achieve more in everything.”
James Key, technical director: “It’s always great to witness the birth of a new car. Of course, the team was already working on the C44 project when I joined, so I was already participating in the process. Overall we have to give credit to the team, they did a great job.
Hinwil has a great team, there is a very positive atmosphere within the team and everyone is determined to make progress. Naturally, the design and construction of a machine like the C44 is an extremely complex project, especially under current technical regulations. Therefore, it is extremely important to manage this process correctly, to provide guidance to the hundreds of people who put enormous efforts in the process of developing the chassis and ultimately building it.
The team chose a very ambitious direction long before I joined. In fact, the C44 is a completely new car, and only at the rear are some parts carried over from last year’s chassis. The chassis of the car has undergone significant changes: some are not visible from the outside, others are clearly visible.
For example, the front suspension is completely new and its development was a very difficult task for a team like ours. The aerodynamics have also been revised in many ways – as you would expect this remains the main focus of our efforts.
Overall, the car looks very different from last year’s C44. It embodies many new interesting solutions – they are all brought together and contain very serious potential. So we can’t wait to see everything on the track.”
The driver line-up has not changed, Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou will continue to drive for the team…
Valtteri Bottas: “The new C44 looks different. And we have completely different expectations from her. Now we all have to get the best out of her together.
Speaking from personal experience, going into the third season with the team, the goals should be very high. My own expectations are high, we definitely have to take a good step and make progress compared to last year when we did not realize our plans. This needs to be resolved now. I feel real enthusiasm from everyone in Hinwil and I am confident that we can do this.”
Guanyu Zhou: “You can’t help but notice the new color scheme of the car! This is an interesting new approach, especially in Formula 1. I hope it will be as fast as it is spectacular.
We put a lot of effort last year, especially in the second half of the season after the summer holidays, to ensure that we understood exactly where we needed to improve. Our boys did a great job in the winter, now it’s time to go to the track and evaluate the prospects.
Expectations are high, but we will not be able to assess the balance of power until we start fighting our opponents. However, a lot of effort has gone into the new car and I’m looking forward to getting behind the wheel.”
Technical characteristics of post F1 C44
On Friday the C44 will undergo its first run in Barcelona as part of a filming day, before heading to pre-season testing in Bahrain.
Chassis: Carbon fiber monocoque from Stake F1 Team, including fuel tank
Cockpit: Six-point safety belts, removable anatomically shaped carbon fiber seat.
Front suspension: double wishbones, springs and shock absorbers mounted on the chassis interacting with pushrods
Rear suspension: multi-link, springs and shock absorbers mounted on the chassis that interact with rods
Brakes: Self-ventilated Brembo carbon fiber brake discs (front and rear), brake control system (Brake-by-Wire)
To steer: Power rack and pinion transmission, custom carbon fiber handlebars
Transfer: Stake F1 Team sequential semi-automatic transmission with 8 speeds, one reverse gear. Ferrari technical padding
Electronics: Homologated standard FIA ECU.
ERS system: Ferrari
Tyres: Pirelli
Wheel discs: BBs
Dimensions and weight
Machine Length: over 5500 mm
Width: 2000mm
Height: 970mm
Wheelbase: less than or equal to 3600 mm
Weight: 798 kg
Engine: Ferrari
Configuration: 90 degrees V6
Work volume: 1600 cc cm
Cylinder diameter: 80mm
Piston stroke: 53mm. Four valves per cylinder
Maximum crankshaft speed: 15000 rpm
Turbocharger: single-stage turbine
Maximum mass fuel consumption: 100 kg/hour
Injection system: direct injection, pressure 500 bar
ERS system
Battery: Lithium-ion, weight not less than 20 kg
Battery energy: 4 MJ (in one round)
MGU-K power: 120 kW
Maximum speed MGU-K: 50,000 rpm
Maximum speed MGU-H: 125,000 rpm
Source: F1 News

I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.