Sauber Happy to Keep Gap to Jaguar

The Sauber team were satisfied with their performance at the United States Grand Prix despite failing to score any points.

The Swiss squad's drivers Nick Heidfeld and Heinz-Harald Frentzen finished in ninth and 13th positions respectively, but with their Jaguar rivals also failing to finish in the top six, Sauber were able to maintain their three-point advantage in the Constructors' Championship ahead of the Milton Keynes squad with only one race to run.

"Our aim this weekend was to beat Jaguar, and we achieved that," said the team's boss Peter Sauber after the race had finished. "Other rivals scored a point and we have to accept that, but we take heart from the strong reliability of the C21.

"This week we go to Mugello with Felipe (Massa) and Nick, where we will continue our development work to improve the car further in readiness for the final Grand Prix, in Japan, in two weeks' time."

Massa, who was replaced at Indianapolis by Frentzen to avoid a penalty, is expected to return at the Japanese Grand Prix.