Sauber F1 team late to pay staff again for April

Cashflow problems meant February and March salaries were paid around a week late.

The situation has repeated itself for the month of April but Sauber hopes a solution will be found to ensure all employees are paid.

The team is pushing ahead with plans to compete in the Spanish Grand Prix, where it will run Ferrari's new spec engines.

It will not take part in the in-season test in Barcelona, which follows the race on Tuesday and Wednesday, because it has no new aero updates.

Marcus Ericsson said in Russia that he does not expect car developments for "another two or three races at least".

The team is struggling financially with team principal Monisha Kaltenborn working hard to find new sponsors to boost its budget.

Technical director Mark Smith left the team on the eve of the season while head of track engineer Tim Malyon left after just over three months in the job.

Speaking in Russia, team manager Beat Zehnder said: "We have financial difficulties, it's not a secret, but I think the good thing is we are still around.

"We're working hard to solve all the problems but it's not easy.

"An annual budget this year is just a massive one and to just cover it by sponsors and the income from Bernie [Ecclestone] is just not sufficient at the moment."

Zehnder also cited the exchange rate and Sauber's Switzerland location has made life challenging for the team.

"In 2007, one dollar was 1.5 Swiss Francs," he said. "Now we have parity.

"So what we had income in dollars is now worth 50 per cent less.

"The other thing is that obviously F1 personnel, technical, mechanics, you kind of have a pool in the UK.

"We don't have it in Switzerland so for motorsport, it's maybe not the best place to be - although we have wonderful living."