Team used old car at first test; Sauber eye improvement on eighth
Monday 29 February 2016 13:43, UK
Sauber have finally revealed their 2016 car, the C35, ahead of the final four days of pre-season testing in Barcelona.
The Swiss squad ran their 2015 car in this year's livery at the opening test, citing the decision to bring forward the start of the season from its provisional April slot as the reason for the delay.
Drivers Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr remain with the team for 2016, but will now only have four days to hone their new car ahead of the season-opening Australian GP in a little over two weeks.
"We want to clearly improve," said team principal Monisha Kaltenborn. "Obviously, there's a certain position we'd like to achieve.
"But, to start with, it's important to become established in midfield. Only then are we going to focus on individual positions."
Sauber finished eighth in last year's Constructors' Championship, one place ahead of McLaren, which represented an improvement of two positions from their point-less 2014.
The team completed over 1,200 miles with the C34 last week with the track time allowing them to evaluate the new Pirelli tyre constructions for this season.
Sauber are again powered by Ferrari engines this year, but early speculation has suggested they could become McLaren partner Honda's first customer team in 2017.
