Sauber’s James Key has revealed that the team is working flat out to build on the form shown by Kamui Kobayashi in the European Grand Prix.
The Japanese driver took full advantage of the race’s safety car period to move up to third, before his mandatory tyre stop moved him to seventh.
As a result, Key has admitted that the team had under performed in the early part of the season, but is now confident that a number of new updates will help them continue its strong run.
“We are in a position now where the car is more suited to some track layouts than to others,” Sauber’s technical director is quoted as saying by Autosport. “Valencia showed that the car works when it’s in the right conditions. Silverstone should be better suited to our car – it’s mainly a mix of medium and high-speed corners, which our car is definitely well balanced for. Hockenheim might be a little less suited to our car than Silverstone.
“For Silverstone we have some front wing updates and modifications around the middle of the car. Then for Hockenheim we will have a rear end update which includes a diffuser step as well. The numbers in the wind tunnel are progressing well.”
As well as developing a low downforce package for Spa and Monza, Key also revealed that the team has now began work on next year’s challenger.
“We are a private team and we don’t have unlimited resources to do everything we want,” he continued. “We are currently in the process of splitting our resources as best we can between the current car and the C30. We are focusing on Spa and Monza for lower downforce and drag configurations – and there will be further steps towards the end of the year.”
