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Vasseur: "We have no ambition to beat Mercedes and Ferrari in the short term"

Published on 04 Aug 2017 15:10
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By: Chris Soulsby

Sauber's new team principal, Frederic Vasseur, has revealed that the Swiss team is targeting a return to F1's midfield, and more specifically, the front of the midfield. Since the beginning of F1's V6 Hybrid engine era, the team has consistently been on the back foot, having scored only 43 points in three and a half seasons of competition. With Vasseur now at the helm however, the team has a brighter future.

"We have no ambition to beat Mercedes and Ferrari in the short term," the Frenchman told Auto Hebdo. "But we do need to catch up with the private teams as soon as possible, such as Williams and Force India. It is necessary to be in the fight for the podium."

"Before joining Sauber I had to make sure the team has the resources and the ambitions. It will be difficult to achieve something in the short term, but I think the basics are there," he added.

"Compared to other teams, the facility is impressive, the wind tunnel is a good one, and I think the team spirit is comparable to what I saw last year in Enstone. Now that the financial structure is stabilised I think we can have some hope for the future."

Vasseur, who is one of the founders of ART Grand Prix and used to be the team principal of Renault, was drafted into Sauber to replace Monisha Kaltenborn who left the team prior to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. In his short time in office, Vasseur has secured Sauber a competitive engine deal for 2018, which will see the Swiss outfit continue using Ferrari power instead of switching to Honda. Use of up-to-date engines in 2018 for Sauber however, has led to the team being linked to becoming a Ferrari junior team, which could result in the departure of Pascal Wehrlein as Ferrari look set to install one of its drivers at the team for next season.

Chris Soulsby

f1fan0101

Posts: 1,804

Already doing more the Kaltenborn

1
Aug 4 2017 - 17:05

F1 News Sauber

Replies (12)

F1racefan97

Posts: 113
Well quite right to, baby steps at first it's a long long way to the glory days of BMW
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- Aug 4 2017 - 15:19
mcbhargav

Posts: 1,332
Good to see them having a plan in the first place.
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- Aug 4 2017 - 16:21
f1fan0101

Posts: 1,804
Already doing more the Kaltenborn
- + 1
- Aug 4 2017 - 17:05
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  I think the main problem with Kaltenborn was that she was trying to run the team as a business, and while that would've worked for a business, it mostly doesnt work for an F1 team.
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  Aug 4 2017 - 17:29
- Bhurt
  
  Posts: 320
  @Calle, to be fair to her, that management style was the only thing that kept the team alive for most of her reign. Now that the team does have the resources to be competitive again, they're quite right to go this new route.
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  Aug 5 2017 - 07:29
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  Yes it did, but it also kept them from being competitive. They had a good season in 2015 until they were outdeveloped. Had they been able to continue to develop their car they could've scored much better points, and better points mean better money.
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  Aug 5 2017 - 15:22
- mclarenfan1968
  
  Posts: 1,027
  Ofcourse he or anyone else would be, these people are not being vampires/parasites like that wh0re Monisha.
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  Aug 7 2017 - 05:57
Barron

Posts: 625
Does no-one here see the irony in his statement? How can this team ever beat Ferrari let alone Mercedes. Say what you like about Monisha but at least she ran a truly independent team and did well with the limited resources she had. Peter Sauber would not have wanted or approved this move. Also, how rude of the Ferrari boss to label them 'junior.' Sorry, Ferrari just lost a lifelong fan.
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- Aug 4 2017 - 19:57
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  No, not really. Teams has sunk and rerisen before. Sauber has been very competitive once, with the right lead. They could become as competitive again. As for Ferrari labeling them a junior team: thats pretty much them saying they will offer support to Sauber in exchange for them having a driver or two in testing or in the team. Could be a good trade, really.
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  Aug 4 2017 - 21:23
mcbhargav

Posts: 1,332
Can they beat Ferrari and Merc. in long term? Please..
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- Aug 5 2017 - 00:27
Smiler121

Posts: 53
Silly to write any team off in the long term, look at what Brawn managed AFTER Honda left.
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- Aug 5 2017 - 01:09
boudy

Posts: 1,168
He's making the correct noises; Also stating that they could not compete with Merc or Ferrari gives them access to their Engine. Unlike mcLaren or RedBull.

Would love for Sauber running higher up in the points.
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- Aug 7 2017 - 11:37