APRIL 10, 1995

Radical changes at Sauber

The Sauber-Ford team has been forced to admit that its new C14 chassis is not very good, and there are plans for the car to be substantially modified before the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola at the end of this month.

Heinz-Harald Frentzen finished fifth in Argentina, giving the team its first points of the year; but Sauber and Ford top men agree that the package is a long way from being close to the kind of pace needed to beat Williams, Ferrari, Benetton and McLaren.

The original chassis - which has already been modified and improved - was designed by German Leo Ress with the aerodynamics being done at the Swiss aerospace windtunnel at Emmen, by the team's aerodynamicist Heinz Zoellner.

In recent weeks the team has recruited another windtunnel expert, Mike Jennings, who comes to the Sauber from Team Lotus.

The next stage in the modification process - which will not include any structural changes to the chassis - will be tested by the team at Mugello, near Florence, Italy, in an intensive test between April 19-21.