Sauber hopes to bounce back in Monza

The Sauber team hoped to score big points after the qualifying session of the Belgian Grand Prix, with Kamui Kobayashi in 2nd place and Sergio Pérez in 4th. But both Sauber drivers were ultimately the unfortunate victims of the first corner incident, and the Swiss team left the Ardennes empty-handed. The goal at Monza is therefore to bounce back after this disappointment, as Giampaolo Dall’Ara stated: The objective is to have a good weekend.

The track engineering manager believes that the Monza appointment is a unique Grand Prix in the season, given the characteristics of the Italian track: Monza is clearly a standout event in the season due to its long straights and few corners. There are interesting turns because two of them are slow chicanes that require good braking stability and good traction on exit. The rest, Lesmo and the Parabolica, are very interesting high-speed corners that become an additional challenge with the low downforce with which we drive there, which is also unique in the season. Then comes the Ascari variant, a medium-speed chicane that is a double corner offering us a technical challenge to balance drag and good mechanical grip.

Kamui Kobayashi joins the Sauber team’s engineer on the challenges presented by the circuit in the Milanese suburbs: « At Monza we will have low downforce and high top speeds, so it will also be important to have good mechanical grip. There are many curbs to climb, and this means that good mechanical adhesion offsetting the level of downforce will be key. »

Sergio Pérez, for his part, is convinced that the Sauber C31 will be comfortable on Italian soil: « The Monza circuit is a high-speed track and I have confidence in our low downforce package. Furthermore, if you look at our performance at Spa, which is also a fast circuit, the C31 should be strong at the Italian Grand Prix. »

On the tire front, Giampaolo Dall’Ara believes endurance shouldn’t be an issue, unlike the pursuit of performance: « The track is old-school with bumps, a consistent surface, and high curbs, especially in the chicanes. The tires will be a challenge, and Pirelli will bring the same ones as at Spa – mediums and hards – but Monza isn’t as tough on tires, so they will be consistent, and extracting performance could be a challenge. »

The engineer of the Swiss team also explains that the C31 should not be very different from the one seen at Spa: « There will be an evolution on the car with a low-downforce package, like at Spa, even if it’s not really a true development step. We will have different wings at the front and rear and some normal adjustments. »

An important aspect of the Monza circuit is the atmosphere created by the Italian fans, a spectacle Sergio Pérez loves to observe: « The Monza circuit is one of my favorites, and I’ve had some very good races there. In Formula 3, I qualified in 14th position and ended up winning both races. I love the atmosphere in Italy and the tifosi are just incredible. »

Kamui Kobayashi is also a fan of the atmosphere at the Italian Grand Prix and he hopes to perform well this weekend: « My motorsport career started in Italy. Monza is one of my favorite circuits. I really have good feelings (on this track) so I hope to achieve a good result there. I speak a little Italian and I love the Italian fans because they have so much fun. »