The chassis was designed by Willy Rampf, Christoph Zimmermann, Pierre Waché and Seamus Mullarkey with the car being powered with a customer Ferrari engine.

In Australia, Sauber announced plans to run their car with an F-duct system, similar to the version used on the McLaren MP4-25, in the free practice sessions.

[4] In the early part of the season, the car demonstrated very poor reliability and it was not until the seventh round of the year that the team scored a point with Kamui Kobayashi taking 10th in Turkey.

In the second half of the year, the car gradually improved to a very respectable level and the team finished the season with 44 points, taking eighth in the Constructors' Championship.

As the year progressed, the team gained sponsors, including Burger King, Mad-Croc Energy Drink, スカルプ D ("Scalp D"), Takata, Certina, Onegai My Melody, Mitsubishi Electric and Converse.