Sauber Celebrate Decade with New Sponsor and Car

Peter Sauber wore the look of a satisfied parent today when the wraps were pulled off his latest Formula One car and he revealed a new sponsor to mark his team's 10 years in the sport.

The 59-year-old former electrician, who began his motor racing team 33 years ago in the mountains near Zurich, deserved his moment of satisfaction. Two teams have perished due to financial problems in little more than a year but Sauber is a clever, courteous survivor.

"We have done well to come so far, but we have had to be careful," he said as the covers were pulled off the new C22 car, emblazoned with the name of Russian sponsor Mobile TeleSystems.

"It is always very challenging, very difficult. We are struggling against the giants like Ferrari, McLaren and Williams. There are seven works teams, backed by the manufacturers, and there are three others who are private and independent.

"We are one of those. But we want to be chasing the top three teams for fourth place and, if we can, we want to take fourth place ahead of Renault and the others. I don't know if we can succeed, but that is our aim and target."

Sauber made no predictions exactly one month before the season-opening race, the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. He welcomed his drivers, both Germans, both from Moenchengladbach, as a strong partnership for the future.

Nick Heidfeld, 25, will enter his third successive year with Sauber, after partnering Finn Kimi Raikkonen and Brazilian Felipe Massa. Heinz-Harald Frentzen, 35, returns after a lengthy and chequered spell with Williams, Jordan, Prost and Arrows.

Sauber said that having two drivers from the same country would strengthen the team. There will be no need to nurse a newcomer through his maiden season as in the last two years.

Sauber's new venture, the creation of a state-of-the-art wind tunnel at his Hinwil headquarters, has been designed to be big enough to permit the testing of commercial vehicles as well as racing cars, a decision that proved again that Sauber keeps his feet on the ground and eyes on the broader picture.