More pressure next season for Sauber Formula 1 team

Sauber will have no excuses if it is not back on the Formula 1 pace next year now its new investors are onboard, according to team principal Monisha Kaltenborn.

The Swiss team has endured one of its toughest seasons, with financial difficulties preventing development of the car and threatening its survival in F1.

But it was acquired by Longbow Finance last month, allowing developments to be put into production while accelerating its preparations for 2017.

“Our focus is to get back to business as normal,” Kaltenborn, whose team has yet to score a point this season, told Autosport.

“We need to focus not just on how to survive the next day but to think longer term and get the most out of the car.

“I’m convinced you can still get things out of this year’s car but then focus on next year’s car.

“There are no excuses not to be good next year.

“We’re not saying we want to be right on top next year, but we know what we can do.

“We have the infrastructure for it and we have the people so why should we not have that ambition?”

Kaltenborn added Sauber is working on restructuring and that will include filling the role of technical director, which was vacated by Mark Smith on the eve of the season.

“We would like a technical director back and the people want that as well but it’s not easy to find the right person,” she said.

The role has since been split between other heads of department but Kaltenborn conceded that has not been ideal.

“It has hurt because you do not get the highest efficiency out of a group but if this is the way we had to work, there’s no point in saying it would be better not like this,” she said.

“We have had to make the most of it but yes, bringing in a technical director would make it more efficient.”

Kaltenborn said the role of head of track engineering is “another role we want to fill” after Tim Malyon left just over three months into the job in April.

She added: “There are a couple of areas we need to look at.

“Wherever it is strategically necessary, yes we will recruit.

“It is about additions and replacements.

“Now we have a chance again, we have to be open to making the most of it, and this will involve changes.”

Category: Formula One