Sauber drivers surprised by Kaltenborn departure

Sauber drivers Marcus Ericsson and Pascal Wehrlein admit that they are surprised about the news that Monisha Kaltenborn has left her post as team principal of the team. It was announced on Wednesday morning that Kaltenborn had been relieved of her duties at Sauber.

Kaltenborn was handed the role of team principal in 2012 when Peter Sauber sold his shares in the team. Drivers Ericsson and Wehrlein admit that they did not see the decision coming.

"I was very surprised," Wehrlein said. "I spoke with Monisha on Tuesday evening, she called me and she told me about it, and of course I was really surprised about it.

"Obviously everyone is asking questions. If it's good or bad or what has changed in the team. I think the drivers are not the right person to comment too much on it. I am just doing my job and I want to perform as good as I can, and everything about this is not part of my job."

Ericsson added: "It's all been quite sudden, in the last 48 hours it's all been happening," he said. "It's quite a new thing for me as a driver as well. First of all I have a lot to thank Monisha for and I think us as a team have, because she's been here a long time and done a lot of good things for the team."

Wehrlein also said that he will miss Kaltenborn in the team, as he feels she supported him very well: "Yeah you can say that definitely," Wehrlein replied when asked if he had lost an important supporter within the team.

"She supported me so much, our relationship has always been really good and will be good in the future as well. Monisha was very close to me at one of my toughest times in my career so far when I had my [back] injuries [earlier this year]. She helped me a lot there, so I am very thankful for that, of course and this is something I will never forget."

Fergal Walsh