Peter Sauber Hurt by Team’s Struggles

Published 01/07/2018, 10:32 AM EST

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via Imago

Swiss motorsport executive, Peter Sauber is no longer associated with team that he founded. However, he hasn’t washed his hands off the team just yet. The 74-year-old former team owner may have retired from the sport but still religiously follows his team’s progress in F1. Watching Sauber’s drop-off in performance the past few years from the sidelines was painful.

via Imago

He said, “It hurt. We should at least be in the midfield and I think that’s possible as well. It was important for me to get away and it wasn’t so hard either, because the two years before that were very demanding. To survive as a Swiss team for 25 years in formula one is actually an impossible mission. Today, Sauber is the fourth oldest team after Ferrari, Williams and McLaren.”

Although he was saddened by the team’s plight, Peter Sauber was glad to not be involved with the Hinwil-based squad. He also took pride in the legacy he created when he entered F1 in 1993. He sees the Alfa Romeo association as beneficial but believes that the Sauber name will not be overshadowed by the legendary Italian brand.

He continued, “I do not believe that. Maybe it happens in Italy, and that would be fine because Alfa Romeo is a name that arouses passion. But I do not see the Sauber name taking a back seat. I see the addition of Alfa Romeo as a clear appreciation. For the team, it is a stroke of luck that the whole thing was orchestrated by Sergio Marchionne, because he has a very successful reputation in the automotive industry.”

2018 is a brand new chapter in Sauber’s book as they head into the new season with new backers. They also have the status of being a Ferrari B-team and the presence of Ferrari junior, Charles Leclerc, confirms it.

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Dhruv George

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Dhruv George is a senior Formula One and NASCAR analyst for EssentiallySports, having authored nearly 12000 articles spanning different sports like F1, NASCAR, Tennis, NFL, and eSports. He graduated with a PG Diploma in Journalism from the Xavier Institute of Communications. Dhruv has also conducted interviews with F1 driver Pierre Gasly and Moto2 rider Tony Arbolino.
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