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Sauber could eventually become a full works Alfa Romeo team. That is the vision of the Swiss team's boss Frederic Vasseur, when asked by France's Auto Hebdo about the new Alfa title sponsorship brokered by Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne.
"The company's executives want to see a fully fledged Alfa Romeo team," Sauber team principal Vasseur said. "At this time we use Ferrari engines, but our goal is not to be a subsidiary but the main Alfa Romeo team. However, there will still be a bridge between these two brands in the form of the driver composition and the testing base," said Vasseur.
Former Renault boss Vasseur's comments are surprising, as just days ago Sauber founder Peter Sauber insisted that the Hinwil based team remains a F1 privateer. Vasseur said: "Personally, I do not see how in the end a private team can survive in formula one."
"Private teams can have a couple of great seasons, like Force India at the moment. But with the slightest hint of a crisis, the whole illusion can collapse. Thanks to the cooperation with Alfa Romeo, our team is on a stable course," Vasseur added. (GMM)
Grand Prix of Belgium
C. Sainz jr
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Replies (6)
Login to replycalle.itw
Posts: 8,527
I suspect the Sauber name will live on for another while (like it did back when they were BMW Sauber), but yeah, I could see Sauber becoming a works Alfa team. It sorta makes sense.
Barron
Posts: 625
Well that didn’t take them long. Looks like the horses head Christmas gift worked. Has Peter Sauber any financial interest left in the team?
Pauli
Posts: 140
Too bad works teams may not deliver expected results or fast enough improvements. Results missing would likely cause the sponsoring company pull the support surprisingly. But at least team is very likely to have improved results with increased technical budget.
For me it would be nice to see some of Alfa, Audi/Porsche, Nissan, Toyota and Aston enter F1. If enough manufactures enter it could reduce or even eliminate cap between top teams and midfield. Too bad it will be hard justify entry when competition in top is technically far ahead anyone else and they can use the advantage to gain very large shared of image value
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
I'd love it if companies like Ford, VW and Toyota entered. We need more big brands in F1. Nissan probably wont though, since they are in the Renault-Nissan group, and they were conservative enough with just having one works team, I dont see them setting up another one soon.
Harryw
Posts: 107
The day private companies cannot join F1 will be the day F1 dies
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
We are technically already there, unless we talk about huge wellfunded companies with lots of support from Ferrari, like Haas.