Sauber “must improve” this season after learning some tough lessons during the 2014 season which saw them finish behind Marussia.
The outfit failed to score a single point in 19 races last year, but team principal Monisha Kaltenborn is confident they will enjoy more success this year.
“2014 was a very disappointing year,” she said at the launch of their new car. “However, this is in the past, and we now focus on what comes next. We have learned our lessons and are confident for the new season.
“We have to improve, and be able to fight for championship points.”
The C34 has improved in various areas over the C33 according to chief designer Eric Gandelin who shares Kaltenborn’s confidence.
“We were able to gain a lot of experience during the course of the 2014 season, which will have an influence on the Sauber C34.”
Amongst the biggest change is the new nose which “is now bigger in volume and lower to the ground. This has a considerable impact on the aerodynamics of the entire car,” according to the team.
“The sidepods are now slimmer than those of the C33, despite higher cooling requirements from the new power unit. This has been made possible by modifications to the attachment of the side crash elements.
“Beyond this, the rear section as a whole is less voluminous, which benefits aerodynamic efficiency.”
