When BMW made the sudden decision in the summer of 2009 to quit Formula 1 at the end of the season, the future of Sauber looked precarious. It would not be the only time in the decade to follow that deep uncertainty would linger around the halls of Hinwil.
As teams and manufacturers came and went from F1, Sauber was often left scrambling to try and stay afloat and keep racing. And yet through its fight for survival, time and time again, it managed to thrive and take the fight to F1's establishment, proving its importance within the category's modern tapestry.
After squandering its chance at a title bid in 2008 in order to try and be the pace-setting team with the new KERS systems through '09, BMW quickly found itself in a difficult spot.