Stake Sauber drawing on Red Bull RB19 lessons with new C44

The new Stake Sauber C44 launched in London still included elements of the 2023 car that managed ninth in the Constructors.'

The nose cone and front wing, in fact were those of the C43 and the final version of the 2024 car will most likely only be visible from the single pre-season test in Bahrain, but elsewhere, it is clear how the Hinwil- based team has embraced the concepts of Red Bull's dominant RB19.

A pull rod front suspension design is new, which when coupled with push rod at the rear adopts the same configuration as seen on the Red Bull and McLaren in 2023, with the new pull-rod pivoted to the floor of the chassis, with internal elements brought lower to create a lower centre of gravity.

The front upper wishbone is at the upper edge of the chassis, while the rear one is inclined to favour the anti-dive effect pioneered by Red Bull to give the drivers a stable platform under braking.

A reduced sidepod inlet section, with a very pronounced lower lip, invites the airflow to move towards the floor with a deeply sculpted lower profile, with there appearing to be no gills on the upper part of the sidepods, with heat exchange guaranteed by the horizontal Red Bull-style rear vent.

Also undergoing a change is the airbox of the C44, which now features a triangular roll hoop instead of the single central pylon previously used, which is in response to the tougher FIA tests following Zhou Guanyu's 2022 British Grand Prix accident.

Given the triangular shape of the roll hoop, the airscope is actually divided into three parts with the two lateral portions feeding the gearbox radiator located above the power unit.

Although the C44 was mostly designed by staff before the arrival of Technical Director James Key from McLaren, it seems to be a package refined and follows themes close to Key's way of thinking.