Sauber launched C31

Sauber has become the latest team to launch its 2012 car after revealing the C31 at the Circuito de Jerez.

Kamui Kobayashi and Sergio Perez unveiled the car to the media, with the C31 featuring another 'stepped' nose. The other most noticeable departures from the C30 are at the rear, with a redesigned gearbox allowing for more tightly packaged bodywork and a reconfigured floor. Team principal Peter Sauber said that the aim was to keep the car competitive throughout the season and improve on last year's seventh place in the constructors' championship.

"We're aiming to start the new season as strongly as we did in 2011, but then also to maintain this level of performance throughout the year," Sauber said. "Our goal is to finish regularly in the points so as to put ourselves in a significantly better position in the World Championship."

Chief designer Matt Morris said that the car would receive a major upgrade prior to the opening race of the season.

"The current plan is to launch a fairly basic roll-out version of the car, which was defined quite some time ago. We will then be testing development parts during the upcoming weeks with a late upgrade for the first race on 18th March in Australia. Therefore the car will look quite different in Melbourne compared to the roll-out car."

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Photos: © Sauber