For this year’s structure of the BMW Sauber Formula One team, Peter Sauber will be at trackside for the races in his capacity as Team Principal, while Managing Director Monisha Kaltenborn will head up operational matters at the factory in Hinwil. Willy Rampf will celebrate ten years as the team’s Technical Director in April 2010 and is again responsible for the coming season’s car.

“The development of the BMW Sauber C29 has seen the team build on the experience gained last year and the improvement in performance over the final third of the season,” Rampf said. “However, the new regulations banning refuelling during the race and stipulating a reduced width for the front tyres have required significant changes to the car’s design.”

“The increased length of the fuel tank means the car has grown longer overall. And because they are slimmer, the front tyres will be more heavily worked, requiring weight to be shifted further towards the rear of the car. An eye-catching feature of the C29 is its highly intricate raised nose.”

“Also very distinctive is an extremely long undercut at the transition from chassis into underbody. These and other aerodynamic measures also help to ensure optimum airflow to the double diffuser. Further changes were required to integrate the Ferrari engine and, in particular, the Ferrari gearbox.”

Over the coming season, the ban on refuelling will add extra importance to one of the team’s traditional strengths: the ability to carry out fast pit stops. Previously, the time needed for the refuelling process was a key factor in determining the duration of a stop. This time element will no longer be an issue from 2010; instead, everything will be down to the speed of the mechanics.

The BMW Sauber F1 Team crew have frequently stood out as the fastest workers in the pit lane. This year’s calendar features 19 Grands Prix – as many as in 2005, the longest Formula One season to date. The Hinwil team will approach the 2010 races and its metamorphosis from a works team into an independent outfit with respect and ambition.