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How Sauber twice saved itself from the brink of extinction

Having almost lost its entry for the 2010 season following BMW's withdrawal, Sauber's recovery hit the buffers when Formula 1 switched to V6 hybrid engines in 2014 and the end appeared in sight. Here's how it turned its fortunes around not once, but twice

Luke Smith Jun 3, 2020, 3:17 PM

When BMW made the sudden decision in the summer of 2009 to quit Formula 1 at the end of the season, the future of Sauber looked precarious. It would not be the only time in the decade to follow that deep uncertainty would linger around the halls of Hinwil.

As teams and manufacturers came and went from F1, Sauber was often left scrambling to try and stay afloat and keep racing. And yet through its fight for survival, time and time again, it managed to thrive and take the fight to F1's establishment, proving its importance within the category's modern tapestry.

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Author Luke Smith

Luke Smith is Autosport’s Formula 1 reporter. Luke has been working in F1 as a journalist since 2013, initially alongside a History degree at University College London. Luke served as the lead F1 writer at American broadcaster NBC Sports from 2013-17 before spending two years as the F1 Editor for Crash.net. Luke joined Autosport for the 2020 season.

Luke is also a contributor to The New York Times for its F1 special reports, and has previously worked with Al Jazeera and CNBC, as well as hosting FIA press conferences. Outside of F1, Luke is a fan of sports and music, with an ever-growing vinyl collection, and has being bitten by the running bug in recent years. He also runs a surprisingly popular blog reviewing the often-terrible media centre coffee from his F1 travels.