Sauber C21
Encyclopedia
The Sauber C21 was the car with which the Sauber
team competed in the Formula One
season. The car was driven by Nick Heidfeld
, Felipe Massa
and Heinz-Harald Frentzen
.
, which had secured Sauber a best-ever fourth place in the Constructors' Championship. It was designed by Technical Manager Willy Rampf
and his 24-strong design team. It was therefore similar to the C20, with modifications to the position of the radiator
s, suspension
setup and rear bodywork. The C21 also featured a new gearbox
which was more compact and lightweight than its predecessor.
The team continued to use Ferrari
engine
s rebadged in deference to title sponsor Petronas
, as had been the case since . Throughout the 2002 season, they used derivatives of the previous year's 051 engine, which had then been used by the Ferrari team in its own F2001
chassis. Although powerful and reliable, the cost of purchasing the year's engine supply was £
13 million.
The C21 was turned out in almost exactly the same livery as the C20; a blue, turquoise/teal and white colour scheme derived from sponsors Petronas and Credit Suisse
. Red Bull
also continued as a sponsor, featuring on the C21's airbox
.
There was a steady flow of development upgrades for the C21 throughout 2002. However, the team was not able to match its efforts in 2001, largely due to the absence of an in-house wind tunnel
and the diverted effort involved in building one (which would eventually become operational during the season). Steps forward were made with the C21's aerodynamics
, floor, engine cover, front wing and weight reduction, but wind tunnel work ended in August as the team shifted its focus to the following year's
C22
.
The Ferrari engine was also developed, with two improvements in performance being made during the course of the season, as was the gearbox and traction control system
. Despite these improvements, however, the team's form dipped in the latter stages of the year.
, Williams
, McLaren and Renault
. Although both Heidfeld and Massa were eliminated from the Australian Grand Prix
in a first corner accident, they took a double-points finish in Malaysia
, with Massa scoring in only his second grand prix. A further points haul was won at Barcelona, and single points were taken by Heidfeld at Silverstone and Hockenheim
, and by Massa at the Nürburgring
.
However, the team could have scored more points if not for technical problems with the C21 and mistakes from the drivers. Heidfeld's brakes failed at Interlagos
, and he was delayed by a radio communications problem at Imola
and collided heavily with the lapped Takuma Sato
's Jordan
after losing control under braking at the Austrian Grand Prix
. Both he and Massa also suffered electronic problems in Canada which caused them to exceed the pitlane speed limit and incur drive-through penalties as a result.
Massa also retired from several races after driver errors and collisions with other cars, most notably at the Italian Grand Prix. His contact with Pedro de la Rosa
's Jaguar
earned him the sport's inaugural ten-place grid penalty for the next race at Indianapolis
, and Sauber opted to replace him with the highly-experienced Heinz-Harald Frentzen
for that race, and ultimately the season as well.
Heidfeld was more consistent, only retiring from three races, but the C21 slipped off the pace in the latter half of the championship, and Sauber did not score any points in the final five grands prix. The slump in performance occurred at Spa, where the drivers could only qualify in 17th and 18th positions. Although the next races were an improvement, the team was still regarded as lucky to a certain extent in keeping its eventual fifth place in the Constructors' Championship, ahead of the resurgent Jordan, BAR
and Jaguar teams.
Sauber
Sauber F1 Team is a Swiss Formula One team. It was founded in the 1970s by Peter Sauber, who progressed through hillclimbing and the World Sportscar Championship to reach Formula One in 1993....
team competed in the Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
season. The car was driven by Nick Heidfeld
Nick Heidfeld
Nick Lars Heidfeld is a German racing driver.Despite scoring regular podium finishes in and , Heidfeld has yet to win a race since entering Formula One in . This means that amongst the current drivers, he has had the most GP starts without standing at the top spot on the podium...
, Felipe Massa
Felipe Massa
Felipe Massa is a Brazilian Formula One racing driver. He finished second in the Drivers' World Championship, and is under contract to race for Scuderia Ferrari until the end of the season.-Early years:...
and Heinz-Harald Frentzen
Heinz-Harald Frentzen
Heinz-Harald Frentzen is a German racing driver most famous for his career in Formula One. At various times driving for Williams, Jordan, Sauber, Prost, and Arrows, he achieved three race wins before his retirement from F1 in 2003.-Early career:He was born in the West German city of...
.
Concept
The C21 chassis was an evolution of 's successful C20Sauber C20
The Sauber C20 was the car with which the Sauber Formula One team competed in the 2001 Formula One season. It was powered by a Petronas-branded '01A' 3.0-litre V10 , supplied by Scuderia Ferrari...
, which had secured Sauber a best-ever fourth place in the Constructors' Championship. It was designed by Technical Manager Willy Rampf
Willy Rampf
Willy Rampf is a German car engineer, the former technical director of the Sauber Formula One team.Rampf studied Automotive Engineering at the Munich University of Applied Sciences, and has worked as a development engineer for BMW since 1979...
and his 24-strong design team. It was therefore similar to the C20, with modifications to the position of the radiator
Radiator
Radiators are heat exchangers used to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. The majority of radiators are constructed to function in automobiles, buildings, and electronics...
s, suspension
Suspension (vehicle)
Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. Suspension systems serve a dual purpose — contributing to the car's roadholding/handling and braking for good active safety and driving pleasure, and keeping vehicle occupants...
setup and rear bodywork. The C21 also featured a new gearbox
Transmission (mechanics)
A machine consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Merriam-Webster defines transmission as: an assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the propeller shaft by which the power is transmitted from an engine to a...
which was more compact and lightweight than its predecessor.
The team continued to use Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
engine
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
s rebadged in deference to title sponsor Petronas
Petronas
PETRONAS, short for Petroliam Nasional Berhad, is a Malaysian oil and gas company that was founded on August 17, 1974. Wholly owned by the Government of Malaysia, the corporation is vested with the entire oil and gas resources in Malaysia and is entrusted with the responsibility of developing and...
, as had been the case since . Throughout the 2002 season, they used derivatives of the previous year's 051 engine, which had then been used by the Ferrari team in its own F2001
Ferrari F2001
The Ferrari F2001 was a highly successful Formula One car, designed by Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne for the 2001 Formula One season. A revised version was used in the first two races of 2002 before it was replaced by the F2002....
chassis. Although powerful and reliable, the cost of purchasing the year's engine supply was £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
13 million.
The C21 was turned out in almost exactly the same livery as the C20; a blue, turquoise/teal and white colour scheme derived from sponsors Petronas and Credit Suisse
Credit Suisse
The Credit Suisse Group AG is a Swiss multinational financial services company headquartered in Zurich, with more than 250 branches in Switzerland and operations in more than 50 countries.-History:...
. Red Bull
Red Bull
Red Bull is an energy drink sold by the Austrian Red Bull GmbH, created in 1987 by the Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz. In terms of market share, Red Bull is the most popular energy drink in the world, with 3 billion cans sold each year. Dietrich Mateschitz was inspired by an already...
also continued as a sponsor, featuring on the C21's airbox
Airbox
Motorcyclists and car enthusiasts use the term airbox for what might more properly be described as an air intake chamber. Older engines drew air directly from the surroundings into each individual carburetor...
.
Developments
Wind tunnel
A wind tunnel is a research tool used in aerodynamic research to study the effects of air moving past solid objects.-Theory of operation:Wind tunnels were first proposed as a means of studying vehicles in free flight...
and the diverted effort involved in building one (which would eventually become operational during the season). Steps forward were made with the C21's aerodynamics
Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics is a branch of dynamics concerned with studying the motion of air, particularly when it interacts with a moving object. Aerodynamics is a subfield of fluid dynamics and gas dynamics, with much theory shared between them. Aerodynamics is often used synonymously with gas dynamics, with...
, floor, engine cover, front wing and weight reduction, but wind tunnel work ended in August as the team shifted its focus to the following year's
2003 Formula One season
The 2003 Formula One season was the 54th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 2003 FIA Formula One World Championship, which commenced on March 9, 2003 and ended on October 12 after sixteen races...
C22
Sauber C22
The Sauber C22 was the car that Sauber Petronas competed in the 2003 Formula One season and was the third car that Willy Rampf designed for Sauber. Nick Heidfeld and Heinz-Harald Frentzen drove this car with Neel Jani as the test driver. The engine was the Petronas 03A V10...
.
The Ferrari engine was also developed, with two improvements in performance being made during the course of the season, as was the gearbox and traction control system
Traction control system
A traction control system , also known as anti-slip regulation , is typically a secondary function of the anti-lock braking system on production motor vehicles, designed to prevent loss of traction of driven road wheels...
. Despite these improvements, however, the team's form dipped in the latter stages of the year.
Racing history
The C21 proved quick in the early stages of the year, and Sauber was the fifth fastest team behind FerrariScuderia Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
, Williams
WilliamsF1
Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited, trading as AT&T Williams, is a British Formula One motor racing team and constructor. It was founded and run by Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head...
, McLaren and Renault
Renault F1
Lotus Renault GP, formerly the Renault F1 Team, is a British Formula One racing team. The Oxfordshire-based team can trace its roots back through the Benetton team of the late 1980s and 1990s to the Toleman team of the early 1980s. Renault had also competed in various forms since , before taking...
. Although both Heidfeld and Massa were eliminated from the Australian Grand Prix
2002 Australian Grand Prix
The 2002 Australian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 3 March 2002 at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit. It was the first race of the 2002 Formula One season....
in a first corner accident, they took a double-points finish in Malaysia
2002 Malaysian Grand Prix
The 2002 Malaysian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on March 17, 2002 at the Sepang International Circuit and was the second race of the 2002 Formula One season. The Grand Prix is notable for the first lap collision between Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya and Ferrari's Michael Schumacher,...
, with Massa scoring in only his second grand prix. A further points haul was won at Barcelona, and single points were taken by Heidfeld at Silverstone and Hockenheim
2002 German Grand Prix
The 2002 German Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Hockenheimring on July 28, 2002. It was the first Grand Prix to be held at Hockenheimring since the track was redesigned, which had seen the forest sections of the track removed and hence the length of the track shortened.- Qualifying...
, and by Massa at the Nürburgring
2002 European Grand Prix
The 2002 European Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Nürburgring on June 23, 2002.-Qualifying:-Race:- Standings after the race :Drivers' Championship standingsConstructors' Championship standings...
.
However, the team could have scored more points if not for technical problems with the C21 and mistakes from the drivers. Heidfeld's brakes failed at Interlagos
2002 Brazilian Grand Prix
The 2002 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on March 31, 2002 at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace.__FORCETOC__-Qualifying:-Race:- Notes :*Fastest Lap: Juan Pablo Montoya 1m 16.079s...
, and he was delayed by a radio communications problem at Imola
2002 San Marino Grand Prix
The 2002 San Marino Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on April 14, 2002 at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.__FORCETOC__-Qualifying:- Race :- Standings after the race :Drivers' Championship standingsConstructors' Championship standings...
and collided heavily with the lapped Takuma Sato
Takuma Sato
is a Japanese automobile racing driver and the most successful Japanese Formula One driver in history. He is currently racing for KV Racing Technology in IndyCar Series under the Lotus banner.-Junior Years:...
's Jordan
Jordan Grand Prix
Jordan Grand Prix was a Formula One constructor that competed from 1991 to 2005. The team is named after Irish businessman and founder Eddie Jordan...
after losing control under braking at the Austrian Grand Prix
2002 Austrian Grand Prix
The 2002 Austrian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on May 12, 2002 at the A1-Ring. It was infamous for the "staged finish", where race leader Rubens Barrichello, who was running first, was ordered to allow Ferrari teammate Michael Schumacher to overtake him under "team orders" and win the...
. Both he and Massa also suffered electronic problems in Canada which caused them to exceed the pitlane speed limit and incur drive-through penalties as a result.
Massa also retired from several races after driver errors and collisions with other cars, most notably at the Italian Grand Prix. His contact with Pedro de la Rosa
Pedro de la Rosa
Pedro Martínez de la Rosa is a Formula One driver who has participated in 87 Grands Prix for the Arrows, Jaguar, McLaren and Sauber teams, debuting on 7 March 1999, becoming one of very few drivers to score a point at his first race...
's Jaguar
Jaguar Racing
Jaguar Racing was a Formula One team that competed in the FIA Formula One World Championship from 2000 to 2004. It was formed from the purchase by Ford of Jackie Stewart's Stewart Grand Prix Formula One team in June 1999. Ford renamed the team Jaguar Racing as part of its global marketing...
earned him the sport's inaugural ten-place grid penalty for the next race at Indianapolis
2002 United States Grand Prix
The 2002 United States Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on September 29, 2002 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana.-Summary:...
, and Sauber opted to replace him with the highly-experienced Heinz-Harald Frentzen
Heinz-Harald Frentzen
Heinz-Harald Frentzen is a German racing driver most famous for his career in Formula One. At various times driving for Williams, Jordan, Sauber, Prost, and Arrows, he achieved three race wins before his retirement from F1 in 2003.-Early career:He was born in the West German city of...
for that race, and ultimately the season as well.
Heidfeld was more consistent, only retiring from three races, but the C21 slipped off the pace in the latter half of the championship, and Sauber did not score any points in the final five grands prix. The slump in performance occurred at Spa, where the drivers could only qualify in 17th and 18th positions. Although the next races were an improvement, the team was still regarded as lucky to a certain extent in keeping its eventual fifth place in the Constructors' Championship, ahead of the resurgent Jordan, BAR
British American Racing
British American Racing was a Formula One constructor that competed in the sport from 1999 to 2005. BAR began by acquiring Tyrrell, and used Supertec engines for their first year...
and Jaguar teams.
Complete Formula One results
(results in bold indicate pole position)| Year | Team | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Points | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sauber Sauber Sauber F1 Team is a Swiss Formula One team. It was founded in the 1970s by Peter Sauber, who progressed through hillclimbing and the World Sportscar Championship to reach Formula One in 1993.... |
Petronas Petronas PETRONAS, short for Petroliam Nasional Berhad, is a Malaysian oil and gas company that was founded on August 17, 1974. Wholly owned by the Government of Malaysia, the corporation is vested with the entire oil and gas resources in Malaysia and is entrusted with the responsibility of developing and... (Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing.... ) V10 V10 engine A V10 engine is a V engine with 10 cylinders in two banks of five with a distinct exhaust note.- Mechanics :The V10 is essentially the result of mating two even-firing straight-5 engines together. The straight-5 engine shows first and second order rocking motion... |
AUS 2002 Australian Grand Prix The 2002 Australian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 3 March 2002 at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit. It was the first race of the 2002 Formula One season.... |
MAL 2002 Malaysian Grand Prix The 2002 Malaysian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on March 17, 2002 at the Sepang International Circuit and was the second race of the 2002 Formula One season. The Grand Prix is notable for the first lap collision between Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya and Ferrari's Michael Schumacher,... |
BRA 2002 Brazilian Grand Prix The 2002 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on March 31, 2002 at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace.__FORCETOC__-Qualifying:-Race:- Notes :*Fastest Lap: Juan Pablo Montoya 1m 16.079s... |
SMR 2002 San Marino Grand Prix The 2002 San Marino Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on April 14, 2002 at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.__FORCETOC__-Qualifying:- Race :- Standings after the race :Drivers' Championship standingsConstructors' Championship standings... |
ESP | AUT 2002 Austrian Grand Prix The 2002 Austrian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on May 12, 2002 at the A1-Ring. It was infamous for the "staged finish", where race leader Rubens Barrichello, who was running first, was ordered to allow Ferrari teammate Michael Schumacher to overtake him under "team orders" and win the... |
MON 2002 Monaco Grand Prix The 2002 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on May 26, 2002 at the Circuit de Monaco.__FORCETOC__-Qualifying:-Race:- Notes :*This was the first of four races to be broadcast in the U.S... |
CAN | EUR 2002 European Grand Prix The 2002 European Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Nürburgring on June 23, 2002.-Qualifying:-Race:- Standings after the race :Drivers' Championship standingsConstructors' Championship standings... |
GBR | FRA 2002 French Grand Prix The 2002 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Magny-Cours on July 21, 2002. It was the 11th race of the 2002 Formula One season and the race in which Michael Schumacher secured his 5th World Drivers' Championship title in record time, equalling Juan Manuel Fangio's record set over... |
GER 2002 German Grand Prix The 2002 German Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Hockenheimring on July 28, 2002. It was the first Grand Prix to be held at Hockenheimring since the track was redesigned, which had seen the forest sections of the track removed and hence the length of the track shortened.- Qualifying... |
HUN 2002 Hungarian Grand Prix The 2002 Hungarian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Hungaroring on August 18, 2002.-Qualifying:-Race:-Notes:*Lap leaders: Rubens Barrichello 76 , Ralf Schumacher 1 *First race: Anthony Davidson... |
BEL | ITA | USA 2002 United States Grand Prix The 2002 United States Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on September 29, 2002 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana.-Summary:... |
JPN 2002 Japanese Grand Prix The 2002 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Suzuka on October 13, 2002. It was the seventeenth and final round of the 2002 Formula One season... |
11 | 5th | |||
| Nick Heidfeld Nick Heidfeld Nick Lars Heidfeld is a German racing driver.Despite scoring regular podium finishes in and , Heidfeld has yet to win a race since entering Formula One in . This means that amongst the current drivers, he has had the most GP starts without standing at the top spot on the podium... |
Ret | 5 | Ret | 10 | 4 | Ret | 8 | 12 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 7 | ||||||
| Felipe Massa Felipe Massa Felipe Massa is a Brazilian Formula One racing driver. He finished second in the Drivers' World Championship, and is under contract to race for Scuderia Ferrari until the end of the season.-Early years:... |
Ret | 6 | Ret | 8 | 5 | Ret | Ret | 9 | 6 | 9 | Ret | 7 | 7 | Ret | Ret | Ret | |||||||
| Heinz-Harald Frentzen Heinz-Harald Frentzen Heinz-Harald Frentzen is a German racing driver most famous for his career in Formula One. At various times driving for Williams, Jordan, Sauber, Prost, and Arrows, he achieved three race wins before his retirement from F1 in 2003.-Early career:He was born in the West German city of... |
13 |