Sauber's troubled finances delaying F1 car developments

Sauber's financial problems are holding up developments it has planned for its 2016 Formula 1 car, according to team principal Monisha Kaltenborn.

The team has yet to score a point after the opening three grands prix of this season, with its highest-place finish a 12th place from Marcus Ericsson in Bahrain.

With the team again going through a tough time financially, it means updates on the C35 are not as quick as hoped for.

"We have to juggle a few things around [financially] to get things done," Kaltenborn told Autosport.

"There are bits and pieces which, because of our situation, we are just taking time in getting.

"So when they're all on the car you will see there is going to be a step ahead.

"It's very difficult to speculate what it's going to be like but there will be movement there.

"We just have to be patient in getting through this phase."

There is also the added complication of devoting resources to the 2017 car given the significant regulation changes due for next year.

"We're not going to be having massive updates coming because, with whatever's coming for 2017, you're in a situation of what do you focus on?" Kaltenborn added.

"We once took the decision to focus on a season [in 2013], and we know what happened the next season [the team failed to score a point] as there was a big change on the powertrain side that had a major impact.

"So we have to balance that out this season, and this car is not really our full 2016 car."

Kaltenborn has also confirmed there is no immediate appointment due of a new technical director following Mark Smith's departure just before the season started.

Smith only joined Sauber last July, but left after just eight months, with the team stating he had returned to the UK "for family reasons".

"It is our plan [to bring in a new technical director], but for now we will work out a situation how we can continue," added Kaltenborn.

"We're actually pretty much back to where we were at committee, where you have the heads of aero and design.

"On the vehicle performance side we did a bit of reshuffling there, too. It's back to where it was."