Sauber: C37 built with new philosophy to catch F1 rivals

Alfa Romeo Sauber has revised its design philosophy for its new Formula 1 car for 2018, the C37, with the goal of hunting down its rivals after a tough last year.

With year-old Ferrari power units Sauber suffered its worst season in F1 finishing in last place in the world constructors’ championship for the first time in its history.

Looking to shake-up its fortunes for 2018, Sauber has secured a technical and title sponsor partnership with Alfa Romeo to bring the Italian brand back to F1 for the first time in 30 years.

With 2018-specification Ferrari engines, the Swiss squad’s new F1 car has been altered to suit the F1 regulations, including the Halo and the loss of the T-wing and shark fin engine covers, with an overall design approach change from last year. The C37’s launch shots reveal an aerodynamic reconfiguration including a new nose, front wing, sidepod changes and a tweak to its central cooling intake.

“We are positive that the new concept offers us more opportunities and will help us to make improvements during the course of the season,” Jorg Zander, Sauber technical director, said. "The 2018 Ferrari engine will also give us a boost in terms of our performance.

“Speaking about the C37, the car philosophy is much different to that of the C36. The aerodynamic concept has changed significantly, and the C37 has several new features in comparison to its predecessor. We are positive that the new concept offers us more opportunities and will help us to make improvements during the course of the season.”

With a revised driver line-up of rookie Charles Leclerc joining alongside the retained Marcus Ericsson, team boss Frederic Vasseur is eager to see the new-look Alfa Romeo Sauber team catch its F1 rivals after just two top 10 results in 2017.

“I am very much looking forward to the 2018 season, and to seeing Marcus and Charles on track,” Vasseur said. “We have put lots of effort and hard work into the C37 over the last few months, and it is fantastic to be launching the new car today. I am convinced that Marcus and Charles form the perfect driver line-up, with one being an experienced driver and one a promising rookie.

“Our target ahead of 2018 is clear: We have to catch up with the field and continue improving our performance during the course of the season.”