The C20 is historically notable for its twin keel front suspension layout. Most teams of the era used a single longitudinal keel beneath the nose to mount the lower front suspension arms. For 2001, the FIA raised the front wing sides by 50mm to reduce downforce, prompting Sauber to fill in the space between each side's front and rear suspension mounting points, creating two parallel longitudinal keels running under the nose flanks rather than one central unit.
Sergio Rinland designed the car before departing to join the Arrows team, leaving ongoing development to Technical Director Willy Rampf. Despite a relatively modest budget, the team invested 35 weeks of wind tunnel time to perfect the aerodynamic package. Weight saving was a central concern throughout the design process.
Peter Sauber made a bold driver selection for 2001, replacing the experienced Mika Salo and Pedro Diniz pairing with Nick Heidfeld and Finnish rookie Kimi Räikkönen. Räikkönen was just 21 years old, with only one and a half seasons in British Formula Renault to his name, a background that prompted criticism from some in the paddock and from FIA President Max Mosley.
Heidfeld had made his F1 debut with Prost Grand Prix in 2000 and brought more experience to the pairing. He delivered a podium finish — third place at the Brazilian Grand Prix — and scored points on six further occasions throughout the year. Räikkönen exceeded expectations from his first race, scoring on debut and adding four more points-scoring finishes during the season. His performances in the C20 were instrumental in launching his F1 career.
The C20 proved to be one of the most competitive chassis in Sauber's history. The car achieved 11 points finishes from 33 race starts, alongside 10 non-scoring classified finishes. Heidfeld's Brazilian podium was one of only six in the team's entire history.
The combined efforts of the two drivers produced 21 championship points, which placed Sauber fourth in the Constructors' Championship. This was the team's highest-ever finish at the time, ahead of several better-resourced outfits and representing a significant achievement for a team operating without a works engine supply.
The C20 was powered by the Petronas '01A' engine, a 3.0-litre V10 built by Ferrari and supplied to Sauber under the Petronas brand. This arrangement had been in place since 1997. The engine was essentially a customer version of the Ferrari works unit. Bridgestone provided tyre supply throughout the season.
The C20 carried the livery that had characterised Sauber cars between 1995 and 2003, based on the colours of its main sponsors. The dominant body colour was the blue of beverage brand Red Bull, with Petronas cyan on the sidepods and flanks. New for 2001 was the addition of Swiss bank Credit Suisse as a sponsor, which brought a white nose to the car for the first time. A Malaysian flag was displayed on the engine cover at the Malaysian Grand Prix in honour of Petronas.
The C20 marked a turning point for Sauber as a constructor. Its twin keel innovation attracted widespread attention across the paddock and influenced front suspension design discussions for seasons to come. The driver pairing of Räikkönen and Heidfeld gave the team a youthful core that would be associated with genuine pace rather than mid-field attrition. The fourth-place Constructors' result established a benchmark that the team would struggle to match in the years immediately following, and the car remains one of the landmark designs in Sauber's independent history.