Sauber will introduce much-needed upgrades to their pit-stop equipment in Imola, their team representative confirms.
For a team yet to score points, Sauber has gathered a lot of attention in F1 news headlines. This is predominantly linked to their driver market activities, with the Hinwil-based squad looking to finalise their 2025 lineup. However, another big talking point has been their poor pit stops, which have already proven costly this year.
At the Australian GP, Valtteri Bottas was in contention for a top result. Regrettably, a catastrophically long pit stop dashed his chances of points. This was the third consecutive event in which Sauber proved unable to solve its issue in the pit lane.
Fundamentally, the Swiss team’s issue is linked to their equipment. With the C44 machine’s front suspension different to that of its predecessor, new equipment was purchased for this year.
Evidently, the tools at their disposal have been unreliable. Since an external supplier provides Sauber’s wheel guns, they have been forced to wait for a permanent solution. In the meantime, short-term measures to mitigate the situation have been utilised.
Solutions on the way for Sauber
Speaking to motorsport-total, team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi confirmed that solutions are incoming:
“We have important upgrades for Imola. Not just in terms of the pit-stop, but we will also get new parts.
“We also have an important update planned. I think that this will determine our next three to four races – and whether we can regularly finish in the points or not.”
Almost every team will implement a hefty upgrade package to Imola. This is largely due to logistics and timing, with the Italian circuit close enough (and late enough in the season) for teams to bring sizable updates.
For Sauber, a combination of performance-related and operational improvements will be necessary.
Even without their slow stops, they are still – at best – competing with Williams for the position of 9th-fastest. Alpine’s upgrades, unsurprisingly, have remedied their nightmarish start to 2024. RB and Haas, meanwhile, are several steps ahead.
This amplifies the pressure on Sauber to improve in all areas. Whilst Audi’s takeover undoubtedly makes them a more attractive long term prospect, the German manufacturer’s main responsibility will be engine supply.
Therefore, the factory in Hinwil must take the necessary strides to hold its own in such an ultra-competitive midfield.
