Sauber has 'no regrets' over 2012 results

Despite having scored two podium finishes to produce its most successful start as an independent contender, Sauber knows it could have done even better - having seen good opportunities slip through its hands at several events, including Spain and Monaco.

But although the tight battle in the constructors' championship means that delivering consistency is vital if it is to close down the gap to Mercedes and keep ahead of Williams, Sauber CEO Monisha Kaltenborn says the way it has performed has been encouraging, and that it is not ruing any missed chances.

"We got asked similar questions last year, about if we regretted not pursuing the blown diffuser [after slipping down the championship order], but I don't think it will happen this year," Kaltenborn told AUTOSPORT.

"I don't expect anything like that technical situation to come up in the second half of this season, and I don't really regret what we missed out. We have been working on our chances, and we have been getting them a lot through merit."

Sauber is currently sixth in the constructors' championship and Kaltenborn believes that it should applaud itself for what it has been able to deliver so far this year - considering how its size and budget compares to its rivals.

"We are very satisfied with the season so far - and we always have to look at the bigger picture," she said. "For us, the picture starts at the end of 2009 when we had a major setback and became again a private team.

"Coming from there, and seeing how step-by-step with two inexperienced drivers we have been going; how the team has with all the limitations it has - both on the personnel and funding side - come up with this kind of competitive car is a good resume which shows now in the first half of the season.

"And we are in a learning curve in a way. We have young drivers, they have to make their way through and sometimes we make mistakes - but this is all part of it.

"The important thing for us is that we know what we can improve, which is our efficiency. We know we can get a lot of points at every race and that is what we need to work on and focus on."