Sauber C20

The Sauber C20 was the car with which the Sauber Formula One team competed in the 2001 Formula One season. It was powered by a Petronas-branded '01A' 3.0-litre V10 , supplied by Scuderia Ferrari. The C20 was notable not only for its eventual position in the Constructors' World Championship (see below), but also for a new type of front suspension mounting: the "twin keel".

The twin keel

The effect of airflow underneath the nose had first become apparent in the early 1990s. By the end of the decade, most teams had settled for a design where both lower front suspension arms were mounted from a single longitudinal “keel” running underneath the nose. For 2001, the FIA introduced a regulation lifting the sides of the front wing by 50mm, in order to reduce downforce and cut cornering speeds.

Sauber had introduced separate pylons for each of the front suspension mounts on their previous car, the C19. For the C20, the area between the front and back mounting points on each side was filled in, creating two longitudinal keels running underneath the sides of the nose.

Among rival teams, opinion was divided. Some teams - such as McLaren, Jordan and Arrows - adopted the idea, while others - notably Renault and Ferrari - declined, citing potential issues with weight, structural rigidity and crash worthiness.

In the 2005 season McLaren developed a "zero-keel" layout in which the lower wishbones are raised and mounted directly to the nose. This restricts suspension...
Read More