No major 2012 invention has emerged yet says Sauber

Peter Sauber with his team at Jerez

Feb.13 (GMM) After the double diffusers, F-ducts and blown exhausts of the past few seasons, Peter Sauber is sure a Formula 1 “revolutionary invention” has not yet been seen in 2012.

The world of F1 watched the opening pre-season test of 2012 play out last week at Jerez, where clever solutions to the new exhaust clampdown and Mercedes’ innovative F-duct-style front wing circulated at speed.

“The big question,” agreed team boss Sauber, “is whether anyone has come up with another revolutionary invention after the banning of the adventurous engine control (of 2011).

“So far it doesn’t look like it,” he wrote in a column for Blick newspaper.

“At the rear of the cars there are different solutions for the guiding of the exhaust gases, but this was not unexpected,” added Sauber.

Another point of note at Jerez was the obvious visual difference between the radical ‘step’ noses and the much more conventional solution on the McLaren.

“It means nothing else than that they are using a less-high chassis,” Sauber reported. “This is interesting because of the apparent aerodynamic disadvantage.

“But equally clear is that McLaren would not have done it if they had not found another way to generate the corresponding downforce,” he insisted.