Sauber C20 launch: In youth we trust

Speaking at the launch of his new C20 Formula 1 challenger at the team's factory at Hinwil, Switzerland, Sauber told of his great hopes for ex-F3000 champion Nick Heidfeld, who arrives from a season at Prost GP, and Finnish wonderkid Kimi Raikkonen. Both have been impressive during winter testing, giving the team an early boost as it tries to break into the top five in the constructors' championship.

"Nick learned a great deal in his first year in F1 and brings that experience with him," said Sauber. "He has already settled in very quickly and helped to move the team forward with his fast testing times. He had a troubled first year in F1 but he immediately proved his ability when he first drove our C19 at Jerez in December. In Barcelona, two weeks' later, he was one of the fastest drivers on the track, underlining the true strength of his potential.

"In his second season of F1 he will be in a much better position to make a contribution to his team, in terms of both his unquestionable speed and feedback, which will further help the engineers to develop the car. He has already integrated very well and has begun to make a significant contribution."

As well as praising his lead driver, Sauber has defended the choice of 21-year-old Raikkonen, who has only competed in 23 car races in his career, of which he has won more than half. That makes him the most inexperienced driver to ever race in F1, but also with the highest wins per start ratio.

"We may have been criticised initially for chosing Raikkonen as our partner for Nick," he said. "But Kimi proved to everyone's satisfaction that he belongs in Formula One despite his youth and lack of experience. From the moment that he first sat in one of our cars, at Mugello in September last year, Kimi showed himself to be a most unusual young man. He had never driven anything more powerful than a Formula Renault at that point, but he did not put a wheel wrong and managed to set highly impressive lap times.

"In subsequent tests he continued this remarkable form, which made him impossible to overlook as a candidate for the second C20 seat. His performance in Jerez, where he convinced the governing body of his suitability to hold a Super-Licence, was simply an endorsement of the potential that we saw back in September. We know that it will take Kimi time to find his feet in Formula 1 once the racing starts, but our expectations of his long-term potential are very high."