Sauber C36

The Sauber C36 is a Formula One racing car designed and constructed by Sauber to compete during the 2017 FIA Formula One World Championship. The car was driven by Marcus Ericsson and Pascal Wehrlein, who joined the team after Felipe Nasr left the team at the end of the 2016 season. Antonio Giovinazzi drove the car in Wehrlein's place after a pre-season injury saw Wehrlein withdraw from the opening two rounds of the season as a precaution. The C36 made its competitive début at the 2017 Australian Grand Prix, and uses a 2016-specification Ferrari engine.

Sauber C36

Pascal Wehrlein driving the C36 at the Malaysian Grand Prix
Category	Formula One
Constructor	Sauber
Designer(s)	Jörg Zander (Technical Director) Eric Gandelin (Chief Designer) Nicolas Hennel (Head of Aerodynamics)
Predecessor	Sauber C35
Successor	Sauber C37
Technical specifications
Chassis	Carbon-fiber Monocoque
Suspension (front)	Upper and lower wishbone and pushrod activated torsion springs & rockers
Suspension (rear)	Upper and lower wishbone and pullrod activated torsion springs & rockers
Engine	Ferrari 061 1,600 cc (97.6 cu in),Turbocharged, 90° - V6 engine, limited to 15,000 RPM in a longitudinal layout
Electric motor	Motor Generator Unit–Kinetic and Motor Generator Unit–Heat
Transmission	Ferrari 8-speed quick-shift carbon gearbox
Weight	728 kg (1,605.0 lb) (incl. driver)
Brakes	Brembo Carbon brake discs, pads and calipers
Tyres	Pirelli P Zero (Dry/Slick) Pirelli Cinturato (Wet/Treaded) OZ Racing Wheels: 13"
Competition history
Notable entrants	Sauber F1 Team
Notable drivers	9. Marcus Ericsson 36. Antonio Giovinazzi 94. Pascal Wehrlein
Debut	2017 Australian Grand Prix
Last event	2017 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Races Wins Podiums Poles F/Laps 20 0 0 0 0

The chassis was designed by Jörg Zander, Eric Gandelin, and Nicolas Hennel with the car being powered with a customer Ferrari powertrain. This was the first Sauber F1 car featured with a shark fin since the C29 in 2010.

Design and development

Giovinazzi during pre-season testing

The C36 is the first Sauber built after the team's takeover by Longbow Finance S.A. Originally intended to be the last Sauber car to be fitted with Ferrari engines, after the team secured a deal to run with customer and up-to-date Honda powered engines for the 2018 season, the deal to run with Honda powered engines was cancelled on 27 July 2017 and eventually secured another year of Ferrari engines for 2018.

The Sauber C36 used the Ferrari 061 as its power unit, as opposed to the 062 model which was developed by Ferrari for the 2017 season. When Ferrari made the decision to completely redesign the 061 model, Sauber had already started development of the C36, designing the chassis around the 061 and its predecessor, the 060, both of which had a similar shape. However, the 062 model that Ferrari created did not fit the C36 chassis; in particular, the chassis mounting points for the engine did not fit the 062 engine. Sauber chose to keep the 061 engine instead of completely redesigning the C36 around the 062 model, arguing that the performance gains offered by the 062 model were slight and that the renewed emphasis on aerodynamic grip in the 2017 technical regulations would offset any performance deficit between the 061 and 062 models.

Competition history

Marcus Ericsson at the British Grand Prix

At the Spanish Grand Prix, Wehrlein finished in 7th but was relegated to 8th after receiving a 5-second penalty for failing to enter the pit lane in the correct manner. It was the first points finish of the season for the financially strained Sauber team.

Wehrlein scored another point at the extremely chaotic Azerbaijan Grand Prix when he finished in 10th. This was also the team's first race after their team principal, Monisha Kaltenborn quit the team after 7 seasons, during the week of the Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc testing for the team at the FP1 of the Malaysian Grand Prix

On a low note, three races saw major crashes; all of them involved Wehrlein's car. In China, Antonio Giovinazzi, subbing for Wehrlein after the German's crash in the Race of Champions, crashed heavily twice exiting the final corner. Wehrlein's race in Monaco ended on his side in the barriers at Portier when Jenson Button, subbing for Fernando Alonso while the Spaniard contested the Indianapolis 500, hit him trying to pass (both of their teammates would end their races in the barrier at Sainte Devote and engine issues ended Alonso's bid at Indianapolis), and a practice session in Hungary saw Wehrlein hit a barrier hard after catching an initial snap when his car got loose.

Livery

The car retains the same blue and white livery with a gold pinstriping and the 25 years of the team's involvement in sport logo presented on the engine cover. Banco do Brasil sponsorship was removed, prior to Nasr's departure.

Complete Formula One results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year	Entrant	Engine	Tyres	Drivers	Grands Prix																				Points	WCC
					AUS	CHN	BHR	RUS	ESP	MON	CAN	AZE	AUT	GBR	HUN	BEL	ITA	SIN	MAL	JPN	USA	MEX	BRA	ABU
2017	Sauber F1 Team	Ferrari 061	P
				Marcus Ericsson	Ret	15	Ret	15	11	Ret	13	11	15	14	16	16	18†	Ret	18	Ret	15	Ret	13	17	5	10th
				Antonio Giovinazzi	12	Ret
				Pascal Wehrlein	WD		11	16	8	Ret	15	10	14	17	15	Ret	16	12	17	15	Ret	14	14	14

Notes

• † – Driver failed to finish the race, but was classified as they had completed greater than 90% of the race distance.