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Tyres should help Sauber - Kobayashi

ESPNF1 Staff
February 6, 2012 « Sauber launches C31 in Jerez | Sauber will not replace Key »
Kamui Kobayashi believes the rule changes in 2012 could help Sauber © ESPNF1
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Kamui Kobayashi believes the softer compounds supplied by Pirelli in 2012 should help the team in races.

Sauber was generally easier on its tyres than many of the other teams last season, with Sergio Perez even managing to one-stop during the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. With the teams getting on top of the rapidly degrading tyres by the end of the year Pirelli has developed softer compounds to bring them closer together and open up more strategy options, and at the launch of the new C31 Kobayashi said it should play to Sauber's strengths.

"I looked at the new compounds and everything looks a little bit softer," Kobayashi told reporters in Jerez. "Softer overall, except for the supersofts, so I mean for us it's definitely a good direction because our performance and race pace is usually good. So if we have more pitstop chances if we can reduce the pitstops it would be great. It's difficult to say because it's still winter but at the moment it's looking a bit better."

Another area where Kobayashi feels Sauber will benefit is through the banning of the exhaust-blown diffuser.

"Well last year we saw the exhaust performance brought a lot of speed. We had some more development but we stopped before Silverstone, but after Silverstone it wasn't banned so it's definitely performance we missed a lot and this year definitely we have another chance because definitely the system has gone."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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