Sauber not classing 2017 Formula 1 season as transition year
Sauber boss Monisha Kaltenborn insists the 2017 Formula 1 season will not be a transition year despite the team's preparations being impacted as it searched for a new investor
The Swiss team's staff became depleted over a series of months early in 2016 as financial problems raised questions over its long-term future.
Updates were created but there was not enough money to put them into production, so the car remained unchanged for most of the first half of the season.
Its future was finally assured when new investors came on board in July, paving the way for a recruitment drive focused on strengthening the team in all areas, headlined by returning technical director Jorg Zander from Audi.
Despite the struggles, Kaltenborn is not expecting anything other than progress next term.
"It's not a transition year," Kaltenborn told Autosport. "We have a vision and that's set up for the next coming years.
"Whatever we want to achieve in the first year, we will do.
"The target is clearly to make a big step ahead, to be back in the midfield and take it from there.
"Next year is a very crucial year.
"We're not just going to say 'it's now a transition and we've had enough and now it's time to get on with the business'."
Felipe Nasr's drive to ninth in Brazil gave the team its first points and only of the season and crucially moved it above Manor into 10th in the constructors' championship, ensuring around $13.5million in prize money.
Sauber's C35 had hardly any sponsors on it in 2016, but Kaltenborn is hopeful that situation will improve next year.
"There has to be [more sponsorship] and there will be because there are more people who are actually interested," said Kaltenborn.
"They are seeing that there is a change here, this is a big change we are getting people in and they are thinking, 'why don't we hop on and be part of it?'
"It's just a very positive and good atmosphere and it will show also in partnerships."
Sergio Perez came close to leaving Force India F1 team for 2017
Manor rookie Wehrlein underestimated F1's off-track challenges
Laser Tools Racing continues in BTCC with Hill
The Laser Tools Racing name that was carried to British Touring Car Championship titles in 2020 and 2021 will continue in the series after all with Jake Hill.
McLaren to share F1 reserve driver Schumacher with Mercedes
Mercedes Formula 1 reserve driver Mick Schumacher will be also made available as a stand-in to McLaren, the Woking team has announced.
NASCAR Next Gen car gets safety upgrades for 2023 season
NASCAR unveiled some changes to the Next Gen car for the 2023 season, with most enhancing its safety aspects.
O’Ward optimistic about Rossi and that McLaren IndyCar DNFs can be reduced
Arrow McLaren ace Pato O’Ward says he’s confident that Alexander Rossi will be a strong addition to the line-up and that the team has gotten on top of its mechanical woes.
The Mercedes F1 pressure changes under 10 years of Toto Wolff
OPINION: Although the central building blocks for Mercedes’ recent, long-lasting Formula 1 success were installed before he joined the team, Toto Wolff has been instrumental in ensuring it maximised its finally-realised potential after years of underachievement. The 10-year anniversary of Wolff joining Mercedes marks the perfect time to assess his work
The all-French F1 partnership that Ocon and Gasly hope to emulate
Alpine’s signing of Pierre Gasly alongside Esteban Ocon revives memories of a famous all-French line-up, albeit in the red of Ferrari, for BEN EDWARDS. Can the former AlphaTauri man's arrival help the French team on its path back to winning ways in a tribute act to the Prancing Horse's title-winning 1983?
How do the best races of F1 2022 stack up to 2021?
OPINION: A system to score all the grands prix from the past two seasons produces some interesting results and sets a standard that 2023 should surely exceed
Who were the fastest drivers in F1 2022?
Who was the fastest driver in 2022? Everyone has an opinion, but what does the stopwatch say? Obviously, differing car performance has an effect on ultimate laptime – but it’s the relative speed of each car/driver package that’s fascinating and enlightening says ALEX KALINAUCKAS
Why F1's nearly man is refreshed and ready for his return
He has more starts without a podium than anyone else in Formula 1 world championship history, but Nico Hulkenberg is back for one more shot with Haas. After spending three years on the sidelines, the revitalised German is aiming to prove to his new team what the F1 grid has been missing
The potential-laden F1 car that Ferrari neglected
The late Mauro Forghieri played a key role in Ferrari’s mid-1960s turnaround, says STUART CODLING, and his pretty, intricate 1512 was among the most evocative cars of the 1.5-litre era. But a victim of priorities as Formula 1 was deemed less lucrative than success in sportscars, its true potential was never seen in period
Why Vasseur relishes 'feeling the pressure' as Ferrari's F1 boss
OPINION: Fred Vasseur has spent only a few weeks as team principal for the Ferrari Formula 1 team, but is already intent on taking the Scuderia back to the very top. And despite it being arguably the most demanding job in motorsport, the Frenchman is relishing the challenge
The crucial tech changes F1 teams must adapt to in 2023
Changes to the regulations for season two of Formula 1's ground-effects era aim to smooth out last year’s troubles and shut down loopholes. But what areas have been targeted, and what impact will this have?
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.