Sauber Cleared to Escape Massa Sanction

Sauber will escape a starting grid penalty imposed on Brazilian Felipe Massa if Heinz-Harald Frentzen replaces him at next week's U.S. Formula One Grand Prix, the sport's ruling body confirmed today.

"The sanction was taken against the individual driver and not the team," an International Automobile Federation (FIA) spokesman said. "If the team wishes to impose what amounts to a race suspension on its driver then that is a matter for the team."

Stewards told Massa at the Italian Grand Prix last weekend that he would lose 10 places on the grid at Indianapolis for causing an avoidable collision with Jaguar's Pedro de la Rosa. The rookie would be the first Formula One driver to receive the new sanction introduced this season but Sauber are considering drafting in Germany's Frentzen as a replacement to get around the problem.

Massa, who does not have a drive lined up for next year, would still be subject to the sanction if and when he returns to Grand Prix action. Only the Japanese Grand Prix remains this season after Indianapolis.

Frentzen, who has been signed for 2003 by Sauber after leaving struggling Arrows, will test the team's C21 car at Silverstone on Thursday for the first time to see whether a substitution is a viable option.

The German veteran is considerably taller than Massa and teammate Nick Heidfeld and was unable to fit into the car comfortably when he visited the Sauber factory at Hinwil last month.

"Only the test in Silverstone will finally show whether Heinz-Harald will be able to drive competitively in this seating position," said team owner Peter Sauber after Frentzen visited the factory on Monday for a new seat fitting.

"All further decisions will depend on the outcome of the test drive."

Ferrari-powered Sauber finished fourth in the Championship last season, the best performance in their nine seasons in Formula One. They are currently fifth, nine points behind Renault and three ahead of resurgent Jaguar.