Kick Sauber C44

[KimiRai]

[101FlyingDutchman]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GHf9ivYXwAA ... ame=medium

That's very interesting. Any idea what it would be for? Seems decent enough sized!

[CaribouBread]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GHf9ivYXwAA ... ame=medium

That's very interesting. Any idea what it would be for? Seems decent enough sized!

Electronics cooling most likely

[Holm86]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GHf9ivYXwAA ... ame=medium

That's very interesting. Any idea what it would be for? Seems decent enough sized!

Electronics cooling most likely

Would the new driver cooling be allowed here??
Otherwise probably electronics yes

[Baulz]

Is that front suspension mount adjustable just like the Mercedes?

[CaribouBread]

That's very interesting. Any idea what it would be for? Seems decent enough sized!

Electronics cooling most likely

Would the new driver cooling be allowed here??
Otherwise probably electronics yes

No the entry and exit spots for the new cooling vents are pretty well defined.

[Apexseal157]

Is that front suspension mount adjustable just like the Mercedes?

no. the merc has an oversized panel that covers multiple mounts, this sauber has a panel just covering the single mount point. there is no extra room for another mounting point

[KimiRai]

https://postimages.org/

First Floor Picture

[ANDY238]

New front wing

[PlatinumZealot]

Strange how they have kept very basic vane exits under the edges.

[ANDY238]

[ANDY238]

[MIKEY_!]

Do we know why they went away from the "blade" roll structure back to the conventional "hoop"? They could have made that change for 2023 to cope with the more stringent load tests but they didn't, so why for 2024?

[Moctecus]

Do we know why they went away from the "blade" roll structure back to the conventional "hoop"? They could have made that change for 2023 to cope with the more stringent load tests but they didn't, so why for 2024?

It was already too late for Sauber to change their roll-hoop design for 2023. Sauber voluntarily met more stringent load requirements last year, but they only became mandatory for this year. Jan Monchaux explained everything last year and already indicated their roll hoop might change for 2024:

"It's still a blade, because when the decision was made to change or tweak the rules, it was at a point where we had already made some strategical decisions on what is carry over and what is not, from which we couldn't revert, because it was summer.
"And all the other teams were in a similar situation. So we agreed between FIA and the teams to do effectively three steps.
"A first step is in '23, which is mainly a geometrical constraint to avoid sharp edges that cut and things like this on the top, to make it harder for a roll hoop in such a situation to dig into the track.
"For '24 there are some additional rules and some new load cases that are more demanding, that everyone will have to pass.
"What we decided to do was to already anticipate our roll hoop shape, investing extra weight, to fit the 2024 rules. Because we were involved in the accident, we didn't just want to comply with the '23 demands, we made a further step already, strictly speaking being legal for '24."
[...]
"Even if we are probably going to have a different roll hoop in '24, we made an extra effort, because we had to and we felt obliged to do that for our drivers.

As for the specific reason for the change, I could imagine the new geometrical and structural requirements might affect a blade-style roll hoop more negatively than a conventional design. Or it might simply not suit the direction they are taking in terms of aerodynamics and cooling.

[MIKEY_!]

Do we know why they went away from the "blade" roll structure back to the conventional "hoop"? They could have made that change for 2023 to cope with the more stringent load tests but they didn't, so why for 2024?

It was already too late for Sauber to change their roll-hoop design for 2023. Sauber voluntarily met more stringent load requirements last year, but they only became mandatory for this year. Jan Monchaux explained everything last year and already indicated their roll hoop might change for 2024:

"It's still a blade, because when the decision was made to change or tweak the rules, it was at a point where we had already made some strategical decisions on what is carry over and what is not, from which we couldn't revert, because it was summer.
"And all the other teams were in a similar situation. So we agreed between FIA and the teams to do effectively three steps.
"A first step is in '23, which is mainly a geometrical constraint to avoid sharp edges that cut and things like this on the top, to make it harder for a roll hoop in such a situation to dig into the track.
"For '24 there are some additional rules and some new load cases that are more demanding, that everyone will have to pass.
"What we decided to do was to already anticipate our roll hoop shape, investing extra weight, to fit the 2024 rules. Because we were involved in the accident, we didn't just want to comply with the '23 demands, we made a further step already, strictly speaking being legal for '24."
[...]
"Even if we are probably going to have a different roll hoop in '24, we made an extra effort, because we had to and we felt obliged to do that for our drivers.

As for the specific reason for the change, I could imagine the new geometrical and structural requirements might affect a blade-style roll hoop more negatively than a conventional design. Or it might simply not suit the direction they are taking in terms of aerodynamics and cooling.

Ah thanks, I (incorrectly) assumed the new load test started in 2023, not 2024.

I understand the new load test involves a side impact on the roll structure. A hoop shape is inherently better at resisting that kind of load than a blade.