Kick Sauber C44

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Kick Sauber C44
2024-08-24 Motorsport, Formel 1, Grosser Preis der Niederlande 2024 STP 3314 by Stepro.jpg
Zhou Guanyu driving a C44 during the Dutch Grand Prix
Category Formula One
Constructor Kick Sauber
Designer(s) James Key (Technical Director) [1]
Eric Gandelin (Chief Designer)
Lucia Conconi (Head of Vehicle Performance)
Alessandro Cinelli (Head of Aerodynamics)
Franck Sanchez (Chief Aerodynamicist)
Predecessor Alfa Romeo C43
Successor Kick Sauber C45
Technical specifications
Suspension (front)Carbon fibre double wishbone, pullrod-activated inboard torsion springs, rockers and Öhlins damper units
Suspension (rear)Carbon fibre double wishbone, pushrod-activated inboard torsion springs, rockers and Öhlins damper units
Engine Ferrari 066/12
1.6 L (98 cu in) direct injection V6 turbocharged engine limited to 15,000 rpm in a mid-mounted, rear-wheel drive layout 1.6 L (98 cu in) V6 (90°) turbocharged, 15,000 rpm limited
Electric motor Ferrari kinetic and thermal energy recovery systems
Transmission Sauber carbon case with Ferrari cassette, 8-speed + 1 reverse sequential seamless semi-automatic paddle shift
BatteryLithium-ion battery
Weight798 kg (1,759 lb)
Fuel Zero Petroleum
Lubricants Sunoco
Brakes Brembo carbon brake discs and pads with rear brake by wire, Brembo monobloc calipers in nickel-plated aluminium alloy, Brembo tandem brake master cylinders
Tyres Pirelli P Zero (dry)
Pirelli Cinturato (wet)
Clutch Carbon Composite
Competition history
Notable entrants Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber
Notable drivers
Debut 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix
Last event 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
RacesWins Podiums Poles F/Laps
240000

The Kick Sauber C44 is a Formula One car designed and constructed by Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber to compete in the 2024 Formula One World Championship. The car was driven by Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, both in their third and final year with the team. The C44 was the first chassis to re-inherit the Sauber name after the conclusion of the naming rights partnership with Alfa Romeo. While substantially different than the preceding Alfa Romeo C43, the car experienced poor reliability and regressed during the season after a number of upgrades failed to address fundamental issues. The C44 relegated Sauber to a last place finish in the World Constructor's Championship for the first time since 2017, scoring four total points in the penultimate race of the season at the Qatar Grand Prix.

Contents

Background

Development context

The C44 was the first Sauber design to be led by James Key, who reunited with then-CEO Andreas Seidl after his dismissal from McLaren. He inherited a design started by longtime designer Jan Monchaux, who was replaced by the team in August of 2023. [2] Key claimed that the C44 was a clean sheet design, sharing only very select designs with the preceding C43. [3] In a first for the team, the car utilized an in-house transmission casing that housed its customer Ferrari gearbox. [2] The C44's initial design inherited a new pull-rod front suspension as used by Key at McLaren and featured a new downwards-sloping sidepod with very tight packaging. [4] [5] Following the investigation into the C42's upside-down crash at the 2022 British Grand Prix, Sauber abandoned its unique roll hoop and air intake designs for a more conventional A-shape design on the C44. [2] [6]

Branding and naming rights

Following the conclusion of Sauber's naming rights partnership with Alfa Romeo, the team unveiled a new title partnership agreement with the Australian-Curaçaoan online casino Stake. [7] The team sold the C44's chassis naming rights to the company's streaming subsidiary Kick, adopting the latter's branding and altering the team's entry name in jurisdictions where gambling sponsorships are outlawed. [8]

Competition and development history

The C44 made its track debut at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya during a promotional filming exercise, later making its public debut at official preseason testing at Bahrain International Circuit. [7]

Opening rounds

Following preseason testing, a new front wing was developed and deployed at the second round of the season at the Australian Grand Prix. [9] However, this development was negated by a substantial issue caused by new lightweight wheel nuts introduced on the C44. This new design cross-threaded the team's wheel guns and caused dramatically slow pit times upwards of thirty seconds, ejecting the C44 out of points positions in the opening rounds. [10] A new ground effect floor introduced at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix did not have the desired effect, and the car slipped firmly towards the back of the grid. [11] In the first seven rounds of the season, the C44 achieved a best result of fourteenth and did not meaningfully threaten for a points-paying position. [12]

Mid-season rounds

New rear and beam wings introduced at the Monaco and Canadian Grands Prix did not increase performance, [11] [13] prompting the team to revert Zhou Guanyu to an early-season specification in an attempt to diagnose engineering correlation issues with the team's upgrades. [14] At this time both drivers expressed concerns with the C44's tyre management capabilities, with both commenting publicly that they struggled to bring their tyres up to the required performance operating envelope in both qualifying and race trims. [15] [16] Shortly after the summer break, the team's owner Audi AG publicly declared that the team's performance to that point was 'unacceptably poor'. [17] Pundits variously commented that the team's struggles may have derived from Audi's fixation on the 2026 championship and executive infighting that led to Seidl's dismissal from the team during the summer break. [18] [19] In the period from Monaco to the Dutch Grand Prix, the C44 achieved a best result of thirteenth on three occasions and still did not threaten for points. [12]

Closing rounds

The Kick Sauber C44 of Zhou Gunayu in Parc Ferme at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix. FIA F1 Austria 2024 Nr. 24 Zhou (misc).jpg
The Kick Sauber C44 of Zhou Gunayu in Parc Ferme at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix.

The C44 experienced an aerodynamic breakthrough at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, where a fundamentally redesigned floor geometry changed floor fences, leading edges, and the rear diffuser. [20] [21] Both cars reached Q2 on merit during qualifying, with Zhou finishing in thirteenth on merit ahead of competitors including Aston Martin, Williams, and RB. At the next round, the C44 achieved its only points finish of the season in eight position with Zhou Guanyu. [22] At the end of the season, the C44 participated in Pirelli tyre testing at Yas Marina Circuit with new drivers Nico Hülkenburg and Gabriel Bortoleto. [23]

Assessment and characteristics

The C44 exhibited poor tyre management early in the season, struggling to efficiently heat them in both qualifying and race settings. [24] When asked if the car struggled from a lack of rear-end grip, Zhou replied "It is everywhere, to be honest, just four-wheel sliding [...] we are just lacking grip." [25]

Audi, who purchased Sauber to transition it into its own Formula One team in 2026, said the C44's performance was unacceptably poor. [26]

Jake Boxall-Legge, writing for Autosport , claimed that the C44's poor performance was the result of Audi's fixation on its 2026 entry and neglect of Sauber since the team did not carry the Audi name. [27] Boxall-Legge said the C44 had started the 2024 season reasonably competitive and had numerous opportunities to score points, but these opportunities were squandered by repeated pit stop errors, and the car became less competitive as its rivals improved. [27]

Complete Formula One results

Key
Key
ColourResult
GoldWinner
SilverSecond place
BronzeThird place
GreenOther points position
BlueOther classified position
Not classified, finished (NC)
PurpleNot classified, retired (Ret)
RedDid not qualify (DNQ)
BlackDisqualified (DSQ)
WhiteDid not start (DNS)
Race cancelled (C)
BlankDid not practice (DNP)
Excluded (EX)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Withdrawn (WD)
Did not enter (empty cell)
AnnotationMeaning
P Pole position
F Fastest lap
Superscript
number		Points-scoring position
in sprint
YearEntrantEngineTyresDriversGrands PrixPointsWCC
BHR SAU AUS JPN CHN MIA EMI MON CAN ESP AUT GBR HUN BEL NED ITA AZE SIN USA MXC SAP LVG QAT ABU
2024 Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber Ferrari
066/12
1.6 V6 t 		P Flag of Finland.svg Valtteri Bottas 19171414Ret161813131616151615191616161714131811Ret410th
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Zhou Guanyu 111815Ret141415161513171819Ret2018141519151513813
Source: [12]

References

  1. ↑ "Key to lead Sauber into Audi era in technical director role". autosport.com. Archived from the original on 27 April 2024. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 Hughes, Mark (6 February 2024). "How Kick Sauber's C44 moves towards a Red Bull philosophy". Formula1.com. Formula One Administration. Archived from the original on 5 July 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  3. ↑ Mitchell-Malm, Scott (5 February 2024). "Sauber reveals 2024 F1 car with striking new Stake livery". The Race. Archived from the original on 29 February 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  4. ↑ Anderson, Gary (5 February 2024). "Gary Anderson on 2024 Sauber + where it must convince Audi". The Race. Archived from the original on 25 February 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  5. ↑ Somerfield, Matt (6 February 2024). "Can Sauber's new-look F1 challenger keep it off the back row?". Motorsport.com . Motorsport Network. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  6. ↑ Filisetti, Paolo (6 February 2024). "Stake Sauber drawing on Red Bull RB19 lessons with new C44". RacingNews365. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  7. 1 2 Cooper, Adam (6 February 2024). "Sauber F1 team reveals dramatic new look on C44". Motorsport.com . Motorsport Network. Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  8. ↑ "In countries where advertisement of gambling and sports betting is disallowed, @Stake will be replaced by @KickStreaming - both in the @alfaromeoorlen team name and logo. Where both Stake and Kick are disallowed, just the Alfa Romeo F1 Team logo will be featured". Twitter. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  9. ↑ Hughes, Mark; Piola, Giorgio (26 March 2024). "How Ferrari, Aston Martin and Kick Sauber initiated the 2024 development race in Australia". Formula1.com. Formula One Administration. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  10. ↑ "What's caused Sauber's terrible F1 pitstops in 2024". The Race. 25 March 2024. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  11. 1 2 Hughes, Mark; Piola, Giorgio (4 June 2024). "Why Kick Sauber's upgrades could show their full potential in Canada" . Formula1.com. Formula One Administration. Archived from the original on 26 August 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  12. 1 2 3 Hotler, Felix; Bacquelaine, Loïc, Warwick, Derek; Al Hashmi, Mohammed (8 December 2024) "2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Drivers' Championship Results" (PDF) Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
  13. ↑ Somerfield, Matt; Piola, Giorgio (8 June 2024). "F1 Canadian GP: New updates from Mercedes, Red Bull explained". Motorsport.com . Motorsport Network . Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  14. ↑ Kalinauckas, Alex (20 June 2024). "Zhou returns to early 2024 Sauber F1 chassis, hopes it cures recent struggles". Motorsport.com . Motorsport Network . Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  15. ↑ Cooper, Adam (13 March 2024). "Bottas: Struggling Sauber F1 team needed Jeddah "wake-up call"". Motorsport.com . Motorsport Network. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  16. ↑ Gale, Ewan (14 June 2024). "Bottas: Sauber fix for F1 struggles "not rocket science"". Motorsport.com . Motorsport Network. Archived from the original on 15 June 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  17. ↑ Noble, Jonathan (1 September 2024). "Audi admits it "cannot accept" Sauber's current F1 performances". Motorsport.com . Motorsport Network. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  18. ↑ Boxall-Legge, Jake (8 October 2024). "Will Sauber's C44 go down as F1's best point-less car, or are there better contenders?" . Autosport . Motorsport Network . Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  19. ↑ "Mattia Binotto takes over a leadership position for Audi in Formula 1". Audi MediaCenter. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  20. ↑ "Big changes and 2025 trials - F1 teams' Vegas upgrades explained". The Race. 22 November 2024. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  21. ↑ Codling, Stuart (1 December 2024). "Bottas: It's "ironic" that Sauber F1 improvement has come so late". Autosport . Motorsport Network . Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  22. ↑ Baldwin, Alan (1 December 2024). David, Toby (ed.). "Zhou voted Driver of the Day for Sauber's first points of 2024". Reuters . Doha . Retrieved 9 February 2025.
  23. ↑ "The drivers taking part in the 2024 post-season test". Formula 1® - The Official F1® Website. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  24. ↑ Cooper, Adam (13 March 2024). "Bottas: Struggling Sauber F1 team needed Jeddah "wake-up call"". Motorsport.com . Motorsport Network. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  25. ↑ Gale, Ewan (14 June 2024). "Bottas: Sauber fix for F1 struggles "not rocket science"". Motorsport.com . Motorsport Network. Archived from the original on 15 June 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  26. ↑ Noble, Jonathan (1 September 2024). "Audi admits it "cannot accept" Sauber's current F1 performances". Motorsport.com . Motorsport Network. Archived from the original on 9 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  27. 1 2 Boxall-Legge, Jake (8 October 2024). "Will Sauber's C44 go down as F1's best point-less car, or are there better contenders?" . Autosport . Motorsport Network . Retrieved 12 October 2024.
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