Zoom Sauber’s team future far from clear

Peter Sauber has expressed anger that the future of the Hinwil-based Formula One team he founded in the early 90s is currently in serious peril.

Although sold by the withdrawing carmaker BMW to the mysterious Qadbak consortium, the team does not have a place on next year's grid, after the BMW elected not to sign the Concorde Agreement and the FIA subsequently transferred its entry to the new Lotus outfit.

At that time, the Qadbak deal had not been finalised, and the three currently vacant team slots had already been allocated to the new USF1, Manor and Campos teams. Williams has vetoed Sauber's application for a guaranteed 14th entry for 2010, meaning the Swiss based camp is left hoping that one of the new teams' plans fall over in the near future.

Peter Sauber, who maintained a 20% interest in the team throughout the BMW era as well as a consultancy role, called the situation with F1's new teams "a joke".

"They do not have to prove anything and yet they disturb our plans for next season," Sauber told Blick. Sauber suggested he is angry that the fate of an established team hangs in the balance while some of the new teams might quickly come and go.

"Perhaps the four (new teams) will have cars in Bahrain, but will have run out of money by 2011," he added.

The team's preview of the Abu Dhabi season finale said it hopes to keep racing in 2010 "under Peter Sauber".

Current team boss Mario Theissen, the BMW motor sport director, has said he is not ready to announce his plans until after the 2009 season is concluded.

E.A. © CAPSIS International
Source: GMM