Williams and Sauber are the latest two teams to announce launch dates for the 2024 Formula 1 season, with both outfits opting to get their respective seasons up and running on February 5.
The two teams are the second and third outfits to announce a 2024 launch, with Ferrari having already revealed its February 13 launch date.
Sauber, officially named Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber on the 2024 F1 entry list, will launch with an event in the United Kingdom, a first for the Hinwil-based team.
The team returns to the Sauber name for the first time since 2018, following a five-year title partnership with Italian auto brand Alfa Romeo.
The team will run under the Sauber name for the next two seasons, ahead of the long-gestating Audi takeover in 2026.
Ahead of the team’s February launch, Sauber also revealed via cryptic message on social media that a further reveal of the new brand identity will come on New Year’s Day.
Sauber’s lineup remains unchanged for 2024, with Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu set to enter a third season together as teammates.
In 2023, Bottas and Zhou combined for 16 points, landing Alfa Romeo (Sauber) ninth in the Constructors’ Championship.
Williams meanwhile enjoyed a positive 2023 compared to the bleak years the Grove-based outfit has had to endure in recent times.
The team finished seventh in the Constructors’ Championship on 28 points, 27 coming courtesy of an impressive Alex Albon.
Albon will be partnered by teammate Logan Sargeant once again in 2024, with the American rookie needing to iron out the kinks in his sophomore campaign.
Williams will hope to improve upon seventh in 2024, having only introduced one upgrade package to the FW45 in 2023, way back in June at the Canadian Grand Prix.
The decision to cease development of the 2023 car early was made to focus as much on developing next year’s car as early as possible – with Albon admitting the team did the “bare minimum” to secure seventh in this year’s standings.
Full details as to the nature of either Williams or Sauber’s launch haven’t been disclosed, with all
