BRENDAN LINES  February 6, 2024

STAKE F1 Team broke cover on its 2024 challenger the C44, with a launch underlined by a statement of intent by parent owner Sauber towards a new identity – post its Alfa Romeo-era – that will bridge its eventual transition into Audi for 2026.

In one of the few live unveilings, so far this F1 launch season, the C44 was slated by the team as “a marked departure” in both its cosmetic and technical approach.

Noticeably the fluorescent green-clad livery – previously unseen in Sauber’s offerings – was the eye-catcher at the centre of the London Guildhall stage as the covers were rolled off by drivers Zhou Guanyu and Valterri Bottas.

In his third year at the Hinvil-based team, Bottas emphasised “nothing else matters” in comparison to the team’s focus towards extracting the best performance possible from its new machinery.

Stake has pinned its hopes on the C44, opting for a slew of changes under the direction of its newly-appointed Technical Director and ex-McLaren designer, James Key.

Key described the design of the C44 as ‘ambitious’ in the team’s effort to challenge F1’s top pecking order by rising above the over-crowded midfield of budget-stretched teams.

“The C44 is virtually a completely new car, with a few carry-over areas at the rear of the car,” he said.

“There are many mechanical changes, some of which you can’t see at all, but some are very visible. 

The front suspension is completely new, a tough and ambitious project for a team of our size, there are many aerodynamic changes, too, as would be expected given that this remains the primary area of development – so, overall, the car will really look quite different to last year’s car. 

“We took a lot of new, exciting directions, all of which appear to hold quite a bit of potential, so we’re looking forward to seeing them on track.”

Blending with its new front aerodynamics, The C44’s suspension has been changed to a pullrod from its pushrod design in 2024.   

Stake F1 will have a shakedown of the C44 on a filming day this Friday, before three days of testing in Bahrain later in February.