For teams like Red Bull->ke731, Ferrari, and McLaren->ke284, it's another year of duking it out for both the Driver's and Constructor's Championships. The three title favorites remain at the top of the heap with the rest hoping to catch up in the 2011 season. One of those teams is Sauber, and recently, the Swiss team unveiled their 2011 racer, the C30-Ferrari->ke252, at the Circuit Ricadro Tormo near Valencia, Spain.

The team's technical director, James Kay, has high hopes for the C30, especially after a disappointing 2010 season for Sauber. “In order to take a step forward in 2011, we were already systematically tackling the C29′s weaknesses over the last season – and we’ve made progress," he said.

"It was important for us to build, firstly, a fundamentally predictable car and, secondly, one that would provide sufficient flexibility to respond to ongoing findings at the track and during further development stages."

Sauber has also hand-picked their driver line-up for the 2011 season, tapping Japanese buzzsaw, Kamui Kobayashi, and 21-year-old Mexican and reigning GP2 runner-up, Sergio Perez, to lead Sauber's charge up the order and back to Formula One respectability.

Details on the Sauber C30-Ferrari after the jump.

2011 Sauber C30-Ferrari

Specifications
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  • Model: 2011 Sauber C30-Ferrari
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Exterior and Interior

Due to new regulations being enforced by Formula One for the 2011 season, the Sauber C30 comes with a higher nose and an elongated front wing that’s secured by vertical pillars. Other highlights include the rear end of the pontoon, which has a small hump that complies with 2011 Formula One regulations. On the flip side, the team is still in the testing and development stages of the Sauber C30, which means that we could very well see a completely new aerodynamic package when the light turns green in the season opener in Bahrain.

What we do know is that the C30 will be dressed to the nines for this season. Unlike last year’s bare-back C29, the Sauber C30 is chalk full of new sponsors adorning the car’s body. There’s Telmex, Telcel, Jose Cuervo, and the team’s new main sponsor, Claro Argentina.

Performance

No word on what kind of engine the C30 is going to be powered with, but we do know for a fact that it’s going to come from the team’s engine supplier, Ferrari. Speaking of the Prancing Horse, the C30’s KERS system will also be sourced from Ferrari, giving the C30 an Italian flavor all its own.

Competition

It’s going to be tough for the Sauber to topple the Red Bulls, McLarens, and Ferraris of the Formula One world. But even if first to third is out of the question - barring a miraculous effort ala Brawn GP in 2009 – it doesn’t mean that Sauber wont be gunning for all the other teams.

The 2011 F1 Season Starts In…

Bahrain on March 13, 2011. Circle the date, fellas. Formula One is coming back and it’s coming back with a vengeance!