# Sauber C9

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Sauber_C9
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Sauber_C9.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauber_C9
> Source revision: 1325121760
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Le Mans racing car

Racing car model

Sauber C9 The No. 62 C9 on display in 2018 Category Group C Prototype Constructor Sauber Motorsport Designers Peter Sauber Heini Mader Leo Ress [ja] Predecessor Sauber C8 Successor Mercedes-Benz C11 Technical specifications Chassis Light alloy monocoque Suspension (front) Double wishbones, coil springs over shock absorbers, torsion bar stabilizer Suspension (rear) Double wishbones, push-rod operated coil springs over shock absorbers, torsion bar stabilizer Length 4,800 mm (189.0 in) Width 2,000 mm (78.7 in) Height 1,070 mm (42.1 in) Axle track 1,600 mm (63.0 in) Wheelbase 2,770 mm (109.1 in) Engine Mercedes-Benz M119HL 4,973 cc (5.0 L; 303.5 cu in) 90° V8 Twin KKK Type 27 Turbos Mid, longitudinally mounted Torque 578.6 lb⋅ft (784 N⋅m) Transmission Hewland VGC 5-speed Manual Power producing 720 to 820hp (545 to 611kW) at 7,000 rpm Weight 905 kg (1,995.2 lb) Fuel Bosch Motronic MP 1.7 Fuel Injection Tyres Michelin Competition history Notable entrants Kouros Racing Team Sauber Mercedes Notable drivers Jochen Mass Manuel Reuter Stanley Dickens Mauro Baldi Kenny Acheson Gianfranco Brancatelli Jean-Louis Schlesser Jean-Pierre Jabouille Alain Cudini Johnny Dumfries Mike Thackwell Michael Schumacher Debut 1987 1000km of Spa First win 1988 800km of Jerez Last win 1990 480km of Suzuka Last event 1990 480km of Suzuka Races Wins Poles F/Laps 21 13 7 5 Teams' Championships 1 (1989) Constructors' Championships 1 (1989) Drivers' Championships 1 (Jean-Louis Schlesser, 1989)

The **Sauber C9** (later named the **Sauber Mercedes C9** or **Mercedes-Benz C9**) is a [Group C](/source/Group_C) [prototype](/source/Le_Mans_Prototype) racing car introduced in 1987 as a continuation of the partnership between [Sauber](/source/Sauber) as a constructor and [Mercedes-Benz](/source/Mercedes-Benz) as an engine builder for the [World Sportscar Championship](/source/World_Sportscar_Championship). The C9 replaced the [Sauber C8](/source/Sauber_C8).

## Development

The C9 was a development of Sauber's previous C8 design, retaining a [monocoque](/source/Monocoque) that largely consisted of aluminium, although considerably stiffer and with numerous other improvements. The rear suspension changed from vertically positioned spring/damper units arranged over the top of the gearbox to a horizontal layout aligned with the longitudinal axis of the car. Aerodynamic changes included the repositioning of the combination of oil/water radiator to the nose of the car, which allowed the use of a modified splitter plate. Commensurate with the repositioning of the radiators, the large NACA ducts were removed from the top of the door sills. The rear deck had been considerably re-profiled and the rear wing was now mounted solely on a central support. Aerodynamically, the car had two configurations: one for sprint circuits and a low drag version for the 5.8 kilometre Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans. In its sprint configuration, it produced 2,222.1 kg (4,899 lb) of downforce at 320 km/h (200 mph) while generating 555.7 kg (1,225 lb) of drag. The sprint circuit configuration had a L/D ratio of 4:1 while the low drag version was around 3:1.[1] The early engines were again prepared by Swiss engine specialist, Heini Mader, though this is now known to have been a cover for Mercedes back door involvement with the project later on. It had been progressively lightened with the use of a new crankshaft, higher efficiency [KKK](/source/K%C3%BChnle%2C_Kopp_%26_Kausch) turbochargers and a liner-less block. It was a semi-stressed part of the chassis and ran a [dry sump](/source/Dry_sump). There were no special qualifying engines and on 2.2 bar of boost it was said to be rated at "almost 800 hp (811 PS; 597 kW)". Maximum race boost was 1.9 bar. Maximum RPM was 7,000 but drivers generally kept to 6,500 during races. The torque curve was almost uniform between 3,000 and 6,000 rpm, giving the engine plenty of flexibility.[2] The engine retained a cross plane crankshaft and the firing order was 1-5-4-8-6-3-7-2. Later [M119HL](/source/Mercedes-Benz_M119_engine) engines were sourced from the Mercedes engine facility at [Untertürkheim](/source/Untert%C3%BCrkheim), supervised by Hermann Hiereth.[3] The addition of 16 valve heads in 1989 took power up by about 20 hp (20 PS; 15 kW) to around 720 hp (730 PS; 537 kW) at 1.6 bar and 7,000 RPM. The increase in [fuel efficiency](/source/Fuel_efficiency) meant absolute power could also be taken from just under 800 hp with 2.2 bar of boost to about 820 hp (831 PS; 611 kW).[4]

## History

For its debut season in [1987](/source/1987_World_Sportscar_Championship_season), the cars were run by Kouros Racing, named after the fragrance brand of its parent company, [Yves Saint Laurent](/source/Yves_Saint_Laurent_(brand)), although backed by [Mercedes-Benz](/source/Mercedes-Benz) in a semi-official capacity. The deal was to last five races.[5] The team managed a mere twelfth in the teams standings, scoring points in only a single round. For [1988](/source/1988_World_Sportscar_Championship_season), the sponsorship deal with Kouros was not renewed and the team was renamed Sauber Mercedes. This coincided with a change of senior management at Mercedes and the announcement in January by new deputy chairman Prof. Dr Werner Niefer that the company would support Group C sportscars.[6] As a result, Mercedes was sponsored by [AEG-Olympia](/source/AEG_(German_company)) – AEG being owned by Daimler-Benz at the time, effectively giving the team full factory support. The team's management was bolstered by former BMW M team manager [Jochen Neerpasch](/source/Jochen_Neerpasch) and Swiss former driver [Max Welti](/source/Max_Welti).[7] They managed to finish second in the championship behind the [Jaguar XJR-9](/source/Jaguar_XJR-9) with five wins for the season. Unfortunately at the [24 Hours of Le Mans](/source/24_Hours_of_Le_Mans), the team suffered an embarrassing setback when they were forced to withdraw due to concern over their [Michelin](/source/Michelin) tyres after [Klaus Niedzwiedz](/source/Klaus_Niedzwiedz) suffered a blow out at high speed.

Finally, in 1989, the car was able to achieve great success. Besides replacing the black colour scheme with Mercedes' traditional plain silver scheme and reducing AEG to the role of minor sponsor, the older [M117](/source/Mercedes-Benz_M117_engine) 5.0 L [turbocharged](/source/Turbocharge) V8 engine was upgraded to the [M119](/source/Mercedes-Benz_M119_engine), which replaced steel heads with new four-valve aluminium heads. The engine had a [Group C](/source/Group_C) capacity equivalence of 8.454 litres. The C9 was able to win all but one race in the [1989 season](/source/1989_World_Sportscar_Championship_season), including the [24 Hours of Le Mans](/source/1989_24_Hours_of_Le_Mans). During qualifying, the Baldi/Acheson/Brancatelli C9 recorded a speed of 400 km/h (248 mph) on the [Mulsanne Straight](/source/Mulsanne_Straight).[8] In spite of this, it was the car of Schlesser/Jabouille/Cudini which occupied pole position on race day. The Sauber C9s would go on to finish first, second and fifth in the race. Mercedes driver [Jean-Louis Schlesser](/source/Jean-Louis_Schlesser) would end up taking the driver's championship that season.

The C9 would be replaced by the [Mercedes-Benz C11](/source/Mercedes-Benz_C11) from the second race onwards of the [1990 season](/source/1990_World_Sportscar_Championship_season), when it took one final win in the first race.

A total of 6 chassis were built.

## Achievements

The Sauber C9 did not enjoy a lot of success in 1987, its first season, finishing on only three occasions. The car's speed potential was made clear when [Johnny Dumfries](/source/Johnny_Dumfries) set a lap record at Le Mans before retiring with gearbox failure. [Mike Thackwell](/source/Mike_Thackwell) also took pole position at Spa. Schlesser won the final race of the year, the non-championship Nurburgring Supercup, which was the only win in an otherwise bleak season for the Swiss-German team.[9]

The C9 won five races in the [1988 World Sportscar Championship](/source/1988_World_Sportscar_Championship), showing much-improved reliability and placing second in the overall standings behind the winning [Silk Cut Jaguar](/source/Silk_Cut_Jaguar) team. Drivers Schlesser, Baldi and Mass finished second, third and fifth respectively behind Jaguar's [Martin Brundle](/source/Martin_Brundle) in the driver's championship. In the [1989 World Sportscar Championship](/source/1989_World_Sportscar_Championship), the Sauber C9 won all except the second race at [Dijon Prenois](/source/Dijon_Prenois), where they were defeated by the [Joest](/source/Joest_Racing) [Porsche 962](/source/Porsche_962) of [Bob Wollek](/source/Bob_Wollek) and [Frank Jelinski](/source/Frank_Jelinski). Sauber drivers also filled the top four spots in the drivers standings with Schlesser winning the championship outright. High performance was only one notable aspect of the C9s ability; its reliability was another. The car failed to finish only twice in the 1989 season but on both occasions, the race was won by the other team car.

Reaching 400 km/h (248.0 mph) during the qualifying sessions of the [1989 24 Hours of Le Mans](/source/1989_24_Hours_of_Le_Mans), the Sauber C9 proved to have one of the highest top speeds in the history of the competition at Le Mans. The C9's mark was only exceeded by the WM Peugeot P88, which achieved a speed of 405 km/h (251.1 mph) in the 1988 race, however both of these cars were purpose built to achieve a top speed record, with one vehicle retiring after only 13 laps, in stark contrast to the C9's bulletproof reliability over the whole of the 24 hours. [10] These speeds led to the introduction of two chicanes on the Mulsanne Straight from 1990 onwards.

## Legacy

The car was awarded as [Autosport Awards Racing Car of the Year](/source/Autosport_Awards) for 1989.

The C9 appears in numerous video games including *[Gran Turismo](/source/Gran_Turismo_(series))* and *[Forza Motorsport](/source/Forza_Motorsport)*.

## Complete World Sportscar Championship results

Year Entrant Class Drivers No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Points WEMCP 1987 Kouros Mercedes Group C JAR JER MNZ SIL LMS NOR BHC NÜR SPA FUJ —N/a —N/a Henri Pescarolo 61 22 Mike Thackwell 22 Formel Rennsportclub 21 Manuel Reuter 21 Kouros Racing Henri Pescarolo 27 22 Hideki Okada 27 Johnny Dumfries 22 Mike Thackwell 27 22 62 35 Chip Ganassi 35 Johnny Dumfries 35 DNS Manuel Reuter DNS 1988 Team Sauber Mercedes Group C JER JAR MNZ SIL LMS BRN BHC NÜR SPA FUJ SPK 275 2nd Jean-Louis Schlesser 61 1 2 2 2 3 1 3 5 1 Jochen Mass 1 2 2 DNS 1 3 5 1 James Weaver DNS Kenny Acheson 5 Mauro Baldi 1 2 2 DNS 3 62 3 23 1 25 2 James Weaver 3 Jochen Mass DNS 1 24 Kenny Acheson DNS Klaus Niedzwiedz DNS Jean-Louis Schlesser 1 24 Stefan Johansson 23 1 2 Philippe Streiff 25 1989 Team Sauber Mercedes Group C SUZ DIJ JAR BHC NÜR DON SPA MEX 120 1st Mauro Baldi 61 1 3 4 1 2 2 1 27 Jean-Louis Schlesser 1 Kenny Acheson 3 4 1 2 2 1 27 62 2 Jean-Louis Schlesser 2 1 3 1 1 23 1 Jochen Mass 2 1 3 1 1 23 1 1990 Team Sauber Mercedes Group C SUZ MNZ SIL SPA DIJ NUR DON MON MEX 67.5 1 1st 1 Mauro Baldi 1 1 Jean-Louis Schlesser 1 Jochen Mass 2 2 Karl Wendlinger 2

**[^1](#ref_A)** Points also scored by the [Sauber C11](/source/Sauber_C11)

## Gallery

		- The [1989 24 Hours of Le Mans](/source/1989_24_Hours_of_Le_Mans)-winning #63 Sauber-Mercedes C9 on display in the [Mercedes-Benz Museum](/source/Mercedes-Benz_Museum).

		- Sauber-Mercedes C9 rounding Becketts corner at [Silverstone](/source/Silverstone_Circuit) during the 1988 Silverstone 1000 km.

		- The 1989 C9 at the Paris [Rétromobile](/source/R%C3%A9tromobile) show in 2012.

		- A Sauber-Mercedes C9 No. 53 car that raced in the 1000 km Nürburgring on show in 2008.

		- Rear view at the 2022 Le Mans Classic

## See also

- [Mercedes-Benz motorsport](/source/Mercedes-Benz_motorsport)

## References

### Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Mulsanne's Corner Race Car Aerodynamics Database: 1988 Sauber Mercedes-Benz C9"](http://www.mulsannescorner.com/aerodatabasesauberc9.html). *Mulsannescorner.com*. Retrieved 14 November 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** *"Super Sports: The 220 mph Le Mans Cars"*, Miura Publishing, 1988

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** MotorSport magazine "When Mercedes Turned it up to 11", January 2010

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Sauber-Mercedes C9: The return of the Silver Arrows, Ian Bamsey, 2006, p. 102

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** MotorSport Magazine, April, 1990, p. 20

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** *Directory of World Sportscars*, Michael Cotton, Aston Publications Limited, 1988 p. 183

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** MotorSport Magazine, April 1990

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** *1989 Le Mans 24 Hours*, Moity, Christian & Teissedre, Jean-Marc, Autotechnica, Macro Derrick & Prowse Limited, Colchester, UK

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["All Results of Sauber C9"](http://www.racingsportscars.com/type/results/Sauber/C9.html). *Racingsportscars.com*. Retrieved 14 November 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Mulsanne's Corner: Maximum Speeds at Le Mans, 1961-1989"](http://www.mulsannescorner.com/maxspeed.htm). *Mulsannescorner.com*. Retrieved 14 November 2021.

### Bibliography

- Bamsey, Ian (2006). *Sauber-Mercedes C9: The Return of the Silver Arrows*. Crowood AutoClassic Series. Ramsbury, Marlborough, Wilts, UK: The Crowood Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [186126836X](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/186126836X).

- Starkey, John (2002). *Sauber-Mercedes, World Champions: The Group C Cars, 1985–1991*. St. Petersburg, FL, USA: Gryfon Publishers. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0970325967](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0970325967).

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Sauber C9](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Sauber_C9).

- [Sauber F1 Team](http://www.sauberf1team.com/en/corporate/history/) – corporate history

Awards Preceded by McLaren MP4/4 Autosport Racing Car Of The Year 1989 Succeeded by Tyrrell 019

v t e Sauber Motorsport Founder Peter Sauber Notable personnel Mariano Alperin Alessandro Alunni Bravi Andrea Benisi Jörn Becker Mattia Binotto Ruth Buscombe Dirk de Beer Lucia Conconi André de Cortanze Giampaolo Dall'Ara Elliot Dason-Barber Rémi Decorzent Gabriele Delli Colli Jost Capito Alessandro Cinelli Alex Chan Steve Clark Jacky Eeckelaert Luca Furbatto Eric Gandelin Craig Gardiner Brendan Gilhome René Hilhorst [ja] Nicolas Hennel Monisha Kaltenborn James Key Mike Krack Axel Kruse [pt] Urs Kuratle Josef Leberer Amiel Lindesay Jose Manuel López Tim Malyon Jan Monchaux Matt Morris Seamus Mullarkey Francesco Nenci Steve Nichols Tom McCullough John Owen Steven Petrik Pascal Picci [pt] Xevi Pujolar Willy Rampf Leo Ress [ja] Simone Resta Sergio Rinland Iñaki Rueda Paul Russell Tony Salter Marco Schüpbach Andreas Seidl Loïc Serra Erik Schuivens Mark Smith Julien Simon-Chautemps Stefano Sordo Lee Stevenson Willem Toet Mario Theissen Frédéric Vasseur Pierre Waché Ben Waterhouse Jonathan Wheatley Max Welti Ian Wright Jörg Zander Beat Zehnder Christoph Zimmermann Notable drivers Karl Wendlinger Heinz-Harald Frentzen Johnny Herbert Jean Alesi Nick Heidfeld Kimi Räikkönen Felipe Massa Giancarlo Fisichella Jacques Villeneuve Robert Kubica Sebastian Vettel Kamui Kobayashi Sergio Pérez Nico Hülkenberg Marcus Ericsson Charles Leclerc Zhou Guanyu Valtteri Bottas Gabriel Bortoleto Former drivers See category Sportscars C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 SHS C6 C7 C8 C9 C11 C291 C292 Formula One cars C12 C13 C14 C15 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21 C22 C23 C24 As BMW Sauber F1.06 F1.07 F1.08 F1.09 C29 C30 C31 C32 C33 C34 C35 C36 C37 As Alfa Romeo C38 C39 C41 C42 C43 C44 C45 Related Audi in Formula One Alfa Romeo in Formula One BMW in Formula One Sauber Academy

v t e Mercedes-Benz sportscar racers 1925–1931 Monza SSK 1952–1955 W194 300 SLR 1985–1991 (built by Sauber) C8 C9 C11 C291 C292 1997–1999 CLK GTR CLK LM CLR 2010–present SLS AMG GT3 AMG GT3 AMG GT4 AMG GT2

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sauber C9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauber_C9) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauber_C9?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.