Sauber Petronas power up for 2003

Not the new car
By Phil Huff
January 9 2003

There was a very happy Formula One factory in Hinwil on Tuesday when the Sauber squad fired up their new 2003 contender, the C22 a few hours earlier than planned. The new car wasn't expected to fire up until Wednesday, however just before 3 pm on Tuesday, it roared to life for the first time.

With approximately 200 Sauber and Ferrari staff members in attendance, the noisy, yet beautiful sound filled the factory to the immense pleasure of Peter Sauber. The team boss is extremely pleased with every aspect of his new charger, especially the fact that every aspect of the car is new!

"Perfect, fascinating, a picker-upper," a jubilant Peter Sauber told Blick. No hitch, the gears could be shifted easily, the temperatures were correct, and the clutch worked perfectly. Here there has been no cloning, for the first time, everything is new and the differences in full sight!"

A few hours later the new pride and joy of the Swiss team was placed under black wraps and weighed ahead of being shipped out to Fiorano later today. From there it will hit the track on Thursday with regular driver Nick Heidfeld at the wheel.

(Thanks nipun)