Stake F1 Team launches new C44

The Stake F1 Team C44 has been launched ahead of the start of the 2024 Formula One campaign.

Stake F1 Team unveiled the C44 in London on Monday night, with team drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu in attendance for the launch.

Stake F1 Team said the new car is "a nod to a new and exciting future", with the C44 the result of months of work by hundreds of staff.

Team-mate Zhou Guanyu said of the C44: "First, you know, you can't miss the colour! It's a very exciting new approach, especially in Formula One. And then from my side, of course, we're hoping to be a fast one.

"We've been putting in a lot of effort since the last season, especially in the second half of the year, after the summer break, just to make sure that we're understanding exactly where we had to improve as a team and what the plan for the guys back in the factory would be for the winter: now is the time to put everything together and get the car on track. The expectations are high but, at the same time, we won’t know where we really stand until we start competing against our rivals. Still, a lot of effort went into the new car and I'm excited to drive it soon."

The C44 will get its first test of track action on Friday, February 9 in Barcelona, before travelling to Bahrain for the three days of testing that mark the official start of the season.

James Key, Stake F1 Team Technical Director commented on the launch: "It's always great to see a new car coming out. The C44 project was already running before I joined the team, of course: I joined in the middle of it, so I have to give credit to the team, who have done a fantastic job.

"There's a great team in Hinwil, with a good and positive working atmosphere, and everyone's keen to make progress. Of course, designing and building a car like the C44 is not the work of one person: it's an immensely complex project, even more so nowadays, with the regulations we have. The key is really down to managing this process, with the hundreds of people who have been working hard to develop the car, design it and then ultimately build it. The C44 is virtually a completely new car, with a few carry-over areas at the rear of the car. The team had to take an ambitious direction well before I joined: there are many mechanical changes, some of which you can't see at all, but some are very visible.

"The front suspension is completely new, a tough and ambitious project for a team of our size, there are many aerodynamic changes, too, as would be expected given that this remains the primary area of development - so, overall, the car will really look quite different to last year's car. We took a lot of new, exciting directions, all of which appear to hold quite a bit of potential, so we're looking forward to seeing them on track."

The 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship begins in Bahrain on March 2 and finishes in Abu Dhabi on December 8.