Catching up with Peter Sauber

DR: Mr Sauber, nice to see you again at a Grand Prix; the last time was in May, at Monaco. When do we see you again?

Peter Sauber: "I do the Turkish race next, then Monza - which is a sort of second home race for us Swiss (with Germany) - after that Shanghai, and finally Sao Paulo. It's been ten races this year."

DR: Are you aiming to attend races in 2007; if so, how many?

Sauber: "At the moment that is the plan, ten races."

DR: How long does your contract with BMW run?

Sauber: "You mean my consultancy contract?"

DR: Yes

Sauber: "That is open."

DR: You still have shares in the team?

Sauber: "I hold 20% of the holdings company."

DR: That is the old PP Sauber company?

Sauber: "No, all that has changed: PP Sauber became Sauber AG, then Sauber Motorsport in Hinwil, with a new company, Sauber Aerodynamik, formed when we built the wind tunnel. Sauber Holdings is a roof over the whole lot."

DR: And Sauber-Petronas Engineering?

Sauber: "That was formed as a joint venture with Petronas aimed at developing engineers. We achieved that by training over 50 engineers in three stages. It is now BMW Sauber Engineering AG."

DR: Are you subject to any phase-out plans, over what period?

Sauber: "No, that is also totally open."

DR: Are you still living in Hinwil?

Sauber: "No, I've left Hinwil, mainly because I needed a change of air, so to speak. I have no direct connection to the factory anymore; don't have an office there anymore. We - my wife and I - wanted to return to the lake (the nearby Zurchersee,) from where I hark. It's not too far from the factory, but it is a distance."

DR: Your wife, is she pleased that you are spending more time at home?

Sauber: "(Chuckles) More time at home, probably not... Were I to ask her, she would obviously say she is happy, but ... (chuckles more). I have rented an office about seven minutes from home, which means I have to get into the car every morning and drive down there. That's very important."

DR: Do you return to the factory at all, then?

Sauber: "I am on the main board of the company, and board meetings are held there, so I return to Hinwil for those. I also have a sponsor relations contract with BMW, servicing Credit Suisse and Petronas. If they schedule activities in Hinwil - for example, using the wind tunnel for conferences - then I am there in that capacity."

DR: Does Credit Suisse still have a shareholding in the team?

Sauber: "They still have a holding, that is well-known, but are in the process of staging a gradual phase-out..."

DR: They could still continue as sponsor?

Sauber: "Naturally."

DR: The present team have recently been highly creative, having developed the 'Twin Towers' needle wings and flexi rear wings, plus other, less obvious, innovations. Although these materialized after your retirement as team principal and are viewed as BMW innovations, a case could be made that you laid the foundations for them by facilitating the super-computer and wind tunnel. Do you agree?

Sauber: "The facilities and therefore the potential (for these developments) existed previously, but not the opportunities. It just was not possible to research and develop components on such a broad base with the budgets and manpower we previously had. For example, the wind tunnel now works two shifts and soon it will be three; previously we only worked one."

DR: So, how much larger is the present headcounts?

Sauber: "At the end of last year we had almost 300 staff in Hinwil, now it is 400 on a direct comparison, excluding engine staff at Ferrari last year and BMW's present day engine department headcount."

DR: That suffices for three shifts?

Sauber: "At the moment they are running two shifts, but the headcount permits three, and they will start working to those shortly."

DR: Hinwil is a rural area. Won't working three shifts cause environmental problems, particularly with regard to noise/vibration?

Sauber: "You don't hear it (the tunnel). Our regulations are extremely stringent, and if you adhere to those there are no problems. If you stand a metre away whilst it's running, you don't hear it, don't know that it's running."

DR: Seriously impressive, that. I believe it cost upwards of 40-50 million euro when built three years ago. Is that right?

Sauber: "That was the budgeted cost, but let me just say it cost a lot more than planned. As always... But, that wind tunnel is not merely a machine, it's a work of art expressing a unique industrial culture"

DR: Let's talk about the 2008-onwards Formula One regulations. I know you're not directly involved, but how do you, as a former team boss, see the sport developing?

Sauber: "I believe we need to wait until they (the regulations) are firm, we are not totally sure how things will develop. On the one side there is the engine situation which seem reasonable, but then call for engine freezing from 2008, not 2007 - which I think is rather peculiar, because you can develop all next year, then have to go back a step. But I am not going to comment further

"On the other side, there is chassis development. We work continuously to improve safety (of the cars), to ensure the sort of accidents Nick Heidfeld had with (Takuma) Sato at the A1-Ring in 2002 hold less dangers. I hope we'll be able to continue with this sort of work despite the proposed freezes.

"As regards the tyre department, I believe that the one-tyre regulation may permit two-metre wide cars again, as in days past."

DR: The latter is something you would like to see?

Sauber: "I am very flexible in this regard. The regulations apply to all, and teams have to adapt accordingly. On the chassis side it is not as political; the engine side is currently extremely political, but I don't wish to comment further."

DR: Sauber had been very much an independent, privateer team reliant upon engine suppliers; now, of course, the team is a subsidiary of a motor manufacturer, so a complete about-turn enabling you to see Formula One from both sides of the fence.

Sauber: "I have always seen matters from both sides because I understand the manufacturers' views. In Sauber's 13 years of existence we were supplied by Ferrari for nine seasons, and while Ferrari is a manufacturer, it is a specialized manufacturer so I was exposed to a lot during that partnership."

DR: Were you presently a team boss, where would your votes lie in the Formula One Commission?

Sauber: "I am pleased that I do not have to vote. (chuckles). I miss a lot of things about F1, above all the people, but the political power struggles I experienced during those 13 years, I do not miss at all; I don't think anybody would miss them."

DR: There appear to be some in the sport who revel in the politics...

Sauber: "Yes, there are those who are comfortable with power struggles, but I believe that anybody who leads a team would prefer to concentrate on that task without the political distractions. They are a part of it, I accept that, but I never felt comfortable with them."

DR: You have gone on record as being in favour of the single-tyre regulations.

Sauber: "Yes, for two reasons. Aerodynamics is the most important aspect of present day Formula One design, the only other element that can affect performance as much is tyres, and if a (tyre) manufacturer comes up with a clever tyre the car is suddenly half a second faster. You can't achieve that with aerodynamics. Therefore a single-tyre is desirable, as it reduces 'swings', which is important.

"On the other side, we spent thousands of kilometres costing unimaginable sums to find the tiniest tyre advantage. So, a single-tyre will enable us to reduce test teams, particularly if further test restrictions are introduced as part of the new regulations and Fridays become test days. Having pushed for these for seven or eight years, I am obviously very much in favour, particularly as budgets will be reduced."

DR: How would you like to see Formula One control testing? How many days of testing should be permitted?

Sauber: "Well, they are now talking of kilometre restrictions, but I find that acceptable although personally I would prefer a test day restrictions, because then Fridays could be included in the limit. So, presently I am not sure how they will control it, but they are talking about it. That way one could restrict testing even more."

DR: Are you saying you would prefer to see Fridays designated as official test days, which would permit an increase to, say, 20 races a year?

Sauber: "You know, you have to ensure that you don't stretch the teams. The 19 races we had last year were extremely demanding, and I don't think it will be possible to use the same crews for Friday testing and 20 races. There is another consideration: consumer over-exposure. We have to ensure that we don't over-expose the sport, although it is important to retain the two-week rhythm."

DR: So 18 races in a season, two weeks apart?

Sauber: "Personally 16 or 17, but I realize that we have to consider that there are emerging Formula One markets, new circuits being built, so possibly 18 races a year."

DR: You have two sons, one is a lawyer, the other one an electrical engineer. They had no interest in joining the team?

Sauber: "Possibly if I had asked them, but it was never really discussed. The reason is very simple: motorsport, particularly Formula One, is extremely risky commercially, and to delegate this responsibility would not have been fair. All it takes for one sponsor, like Petronas, to withdraw, and the lights go out, and I would not have felt comfortable leaving this responsibility to my sons."

DR: So you are actually pleased they have not followed a motorsport career, and you thus secured the future of the company (and its employees) by selling to BMW?

Sauber: "Yes, it happened without us discussing, we just all accepted that they would not make their careers in motorsport.

"I would like to add that this business with BMW, I was not seeking a purchaser. Petronas came to me and said that they no longer wished to be engine supplier, they would continue as a sponsor, but not as engine supplier, which no longer made sense for them.

"They suggested I seek an alternative engine, preferably one which came free, so I could benefit from their sponsorship without having to pay for engines. I spoke with various manufacturers and was close to an agreement with one but fortunately something delayed it - I had already spoken to BMW but their engine was just too expensive, I would have loved to use their engine, but it simply cost too much - and then came the dissatisfaction between BMW and Williams, and then the question of BMW building up their own team by purchasing Sauber came up.

"I decided rather quickly that this was a 100% solution to a situation that would be shortly be arising in any event even if three, four years down the road as I am 63 years old this year. This solution permits the team to develop in a sporting direction and secures the future of the workforce and factory while providing succession. So, for me it was a perfect solution, and a year after we agreed the sale, and six months after I withdrew as team principal, I still see it as such."

DR: Is it stipulated that the name 'Sauber' must remain in the title, and if so, for how long?

Sauber: "Not at all, that the 'Sauber' name be used was never stipulated - that is up to BMW to decide.

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