Sauber looking for improvements in 2012

The Swiss-based Sauber team on Monday unveiled their new C31-Ferrari car which will contest the 2012 World Championship season, the firm's 20th year in Formula One racing.

Present at the launch were drivers Kamui Kobayashi of Japan and Sergio Perez of Mexico who were preparing for official testing for the new season which gets underway here on Tuesday.

"We're aiming to start the new season as strongly as we did in 2011, but then also to maintain this level of performance throughout the year," said founder and Team Principal Peter Sauber.

"Our goal is to finish regularly in the points so as to put ourselves in a significantly better position in the World Championship."

Only three of their rivals on this year's grid have been in Formula One longer than Sauber's team.

After an excellent start to 2011, the team's form fell away mid-way through the season following the decision to cease development of a controversial technology.

They eventually finished seventh in the constructors' standings with a haul of 44 points.

Sauber said that their new car would benefit from a large number of promising new developments that would boost 25-year-old Kobayashi and 22-year-old Perez.

"Kamui will be competing in his third full season in F1," he said.

"Last year we asked him to take on leadership responsibilities within the team and he has grown into the role.

"With his rookie season behind him Sergio is now approaching his second season, which is often the most difficult in a driver's Formula One career.

"Both drivers have huge potential and will work with the same race engineers as in 2011 to continue developing that promise."

Kobayashi, who finished 12th in the drivers' standings last year with 30 points, agreed that he now had the experience to get the best out of the new car.

"We've been through a lot together and can benefit from our shared experiences," he said.

"In my first year with the team we had a bad start, but a good second half to the season.

"The second year was the exact reverse. In our third year together we should be a reliable bet to finish consistently in the points."

Perez, who was 16th with 14 points, said that he had learned greatly from his rookie season.

"My first year in Formula One felt like three years, there were so many new things to take in," he said.

"But now I feel like I've arrived in Formula One and I'm determined to take a step up in 2012 and achieve better results for the team on a regular basis."