Yes, BMW retains its name in the Sauber team (due to FIA regulations), and today, in Valencia, Sauber unveiled their latest monopost: C29. Drivers Kamui Kobayashi and Pedro De la Rosa unveiled Sauber’s 2010 Formula One car and the team remains confident for the upcoming season despite the a lower budget and reduction in manpower.

The C29 monopost uses Ferrari engines and gearbox, at some levels similar to the ones used by the “Italian scuderia”. One distinctive feature of the C29 is the highly raised nose and also extremely long undercut at the transition from chassis into underbody. All these changes are expected to play an important role in the aerodynamic numbers.

Willy Rampf, Technical Director at BMW Sauber, explains that new regulations banning refueling during races and a reduced width for the front tires, have had a direct impact on the car’s new design.

BMW Sauber’s latest drivers are a combination of young and ambitious driver,  Kamui Kobayashi, with the experience brought by a long-timer in the F1 ring, Pedro De la Rosa.  The spanish driver has raced in 71 Grands Prix and scored several podium finishes. He was also a test driver for seven years at McLaren.

Kobayashi will race for the first time in Formula 1 as a full time driver, after racing as a substitute for Toyota in 2009.

The BMW Sauber C29 will begin testing at Valencia, Spain, on Monday.

Technical Specifications

Chassis
* Chassis: Carbon-fibre monocoque
* Suspension: Upper and lower wishbones (front and rear), inboard springs and dampers, actuated by pushrods (Sachs Race Engineering)
* Brakes: Six-piston brake callipers (Brembo), carbon pads and discs (Brembo, Carbon Industries)
* Transmission: Ferrari 7-speed quick shift gearbox, carbon, longitudinally mounted, carbon-fibre clutch
* Chassis electronics: MES
* Steering wheel: BMW Sauber F1 Team
* Tyres: Bridgestone Potenza
* Wheels: OZ

Dimensions
* Length: 4,940 mm
* Width: 1,800 mm
* Height: 1,000 mm
* Track width, front: 1,495 mm
* Track width, rear: 1,410 mm
* Weight: 620 kg (incl. driver, tank empty)

Ferrari 056 engine
* Type: Naturally aspirated V8, cylinder angle 90 degrees
* Cylinder block: Sand cast aluminium
* Valves / valve train: 32 / pneumatic
* Displacement: 2,398 cc
* Bore: 98 mm
* Weight: > 95 kg
* Electronic injection and ignition

[Source & Photos: PaddockReport | Automarket ]