The Sauber C21 was the car with which the Sauber team competed in the 2002 Formula One season. The car was driven by Nick Heidfeld, Felipe Massa and Heinz-Harald Frentzen.

The C21 chassis was an evolution of 2001's successful C20, which had secured Sauber a best-ever fourth place in the Constructors' Championship. It was designed by Technical Manager Willy Rampf and his 24-strong design team. It was therefore similar to the C20, with modifications to the position of the radiators, suspension setup and rear bodywork. The C21 also featured a new gearbox which was more compact and lightweight than its predecessor.

The team continued to use Ferrari engines rebadged in deference to title sponsor Petronas, as had been the case since 1997. Throughout the 2002 season, they used derivatives of the previous year's 051 engine, which had then been used by the Ferrari team in its own F2001 chassis. Although powerful and reliable, the cost of purchasing the year's engine supply was £13 million.

The C21 was turned out in almost exactly the same livery as the C20; a blue, turquoise/teal and white colour scheme derived from sponsors Petronas and Credit Suisse. Red Bull also continued as a sponsor, featuring on the C21's airbox.

There was a steady flow of development upgrades for the C21 throughout 2002. However, the team was not able to match its efforts in 2001, largely due to the absence of an in-house wind tunnel and the diverted effort involved in building one (which would eventually become operational during the 2004 season). Steps forward were made with the C21's aerodynamics, floor, engine cover, front wing and weight reduction, but wind tunnel work ended in August as the team shifted its focus to the following year's C22.

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