Key: Spa should suit Sauber’s C30

Technical director James Key is “hopeful” that Sauber will be back in the points in Belgium as the team introduces more updates…

Technical director James Key is “hopeful” that Sauber will be back in the points in Belgium as the team introduces more updates.

For only the third time this season, Sauber failed to score at the previous race in Hungary, the other point-less grands prix coming in Europe and Australia, the latter of which saw both cars disqualified.

However, Key reckons they can finish in the top ten at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit as characterists of the track should suit their C30.

Added to that, the team will also be introducing updates for both the front and rear wing of their car.

“We’re looking forward to getting into the next part of the season and going to Spa, which requires a medium-to-low downforce level,” Key said.

“To-date, it will be the lowest downforce level the teams have run, but a lot will depend on the weather conditions, because they are very unpredictable. As always at Spa, we have to monitor the weather closely over the weekend.

“The circuit itself is very popular with the drivers, and a great place to engineer a car. The track is primarily high-speed with long straights and well-known corners; this should suit our car reasonably well.

“The Pirelli tyres are the soft and the medium compounds. We know from Silverstone that the soft tyre works well with the high-speed corners, but we have some work to do with the medium compound.

“The car will have updates to the front wing and a new rear wing which is Spa-specific. After a difficult race in Hungary, we’re hopeful of a better performance in Belgium.”