4
Sauber team principal Frederic Vasseur has revealed that a decision on its 2018 driver line-up will be made soon, as the team is to announce who will race for them next season "in the next couple of weeks". It is not yet clear who will drive for the team, with Vasseur admitting Ferrari will have a major role in the negotiations.
It is very likely that either Antonio Giovinazzi or Charles Leclerc will get a race seat at the team after a multi-year engine deal was recently announced between Sauber and Ferrari. Giovinazzi and Leclerc are both Ferrari juniors, and are in a prime position to step in next year.
Currently, Marcus Ericsson and Pascal Wehrlein hold the seats at the Swiss team, with Wehrlein likely to be making way at the end of the season due to his Mercedes links. However, Ericsson's sponsors partly finance Sauber, which could be key in deciding next year's line-up.
Vasseur knows both Wehrlein and Ericsson well: “Yes, I was running a DTM team in 2015 when Pascal won the championship and Marcus did one race in GP2 with me at the end of 2010, so I know both of them,” Vasseur told Formula1.com.
Vasseur added that Ferrari will take part in driver negotiations for 2018: "I want to spend time with them before taking a decision. But the driver issue is also a point for discussion with Ferrari – and we very likely will take a decision about our 2018 line-up in the next couple of weeks."
Fergal Walsh
Grand Prix of BelgiumLocal time
Grand Prix of BelgiumLocal time
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
M. Verstappen
C. Sainz jr
C. Leclerc
Bahrain
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
Australia
Albert Park
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
Monaco
Monte Carlo
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
Austria
Red Bull Ring
United Kingdom
Silverstone
Hungary
Hungaroring
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
Italy
Monza
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
Brazil
Interlagos
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
34,178 comments on Sauber
3 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Marcus Ericsson
613,586 comments on Mercedes 57 members have this team as their favourite Tweets about Mercedes
Replies (4)
Login to replyf1fan0101
Posts: 1,804
It'll be interesting to see if its Leclerc or Giovinazzi.. Or both
NEXT SPARE VAMP
Posts: 1,874
The line-up will almost certainly be Leclerc - Ericsson for 2018 and Leclerc - Giovinazzi for 2019.
f1fan0101
Posts: 1,804
I feel a bit sorry for Ericsson, spent his whole career at the back of the field
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Pretty much. That said I really wish the backers would've backed someone else. Ericsson is far from the best current Swedish.