First Images: Sauber F1 Reveals C44 Car for the 2024 Formula 1 Season

Sauber has presented its new-look for the upcoming Formula 1 season during a launch ceremony at London’s Guildhall on Monday.

Sauber will compete this year and next under the unwieldy name of Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber, having sold naming rights to the two brands which share common ownership, prior to Audi’s arrival in 2026.

The branding from Stake, which the team is referring to itself as, and Kick heavily influences the updated livery that will feature on the C44.

Sauber competed as Alfa Romeo from 2019 through 2023 after a branding affiliation with the Italian marque.

Sauber will field a driver lineup of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu for a third successive season. Both drivers joined the team in 2022, when new regulations were introduced, and are out of contract at the end of the season.

Reigning Formula 2 champion Théo Pourchaire, who will race in the Japan-based Super Formula series, will stay on as Sauber’s test and reserve driver. Zane Maloney, 10th in Formula 2 last year, has joined Sauber’s academy and will also take on some reserve duties.

Sauber endured a disappointing 2023 season as it finished only ninth in the Constructors’ Championship. It took a best race finish of eighth, achieved twice by Bottas, in Bahrain and Qatar.

Technical Director James Key, who joined the team in September, believes substantial progress has been made with its C44.

“If you put an image of last year’s car versus this year’s it is very noticeably different, more aggressive and refined, there’s a lot under the skin you can’t see that’s changed considerably,” said Key. “It’s a more advanced and ambitious car, with more potential in it, compared to last year.