Peter Sauber content with 2010, no financial problems in 2011 season
The season started off quite slow and somewhat dull for BMW Sauber. The team initially suffered due to financial problems along with a number of compatibility issues between their car and its drivers. However, BMW Sauber now believes that with every passing race, things are improving and heading in the right direction.
Team driver Kamui Kobayashi has once again bagged points in the last race of the season which has left the team pretty hopeful for the rest of the races. Moreover, the management is also optimistic with their funding which has been promised for the upcoming season.
Formula One’s Official website asked Sauber Team Principal Peter Sauber about his assessment of the 2010 season and how he planned on improving things for the upcoming season.
Sauber started off by explaining that despite a tough 2010 season, he kept his cool for he never had any doubts in his mind that BMW Sauber would do well. He opined that Team Sauber was doing well and closing it down was never an alternative. Peter further said, “It was a do or die situation and you couldn’t let this team die.”
However, Peter Sauber claimed that he was happy for he kept his spirits as high as possible during the disappointments and now he is in a state when everything seems positive and welcoming to him.
The second question that came to everyone’s mind was, “Seeing an ad-free Formula One car.”
Sauber’s Team Principal was quick with his response. Peter claimed that firstly, it was not an ad-free car. Sauber's team management had opted not to plaster ads only to show that the team had sponsorships when actually there was no revenue being generated out of it. Peter Sauber said that he knew right from the start of the season that it would be difficult to find sponsors this season. However, the team stayed firm on their stance that they would be showing off only those advertisers that would be worth it.
Sauber though stressed that he is much more confident for next season’s financing yet he refused to give the name of the sources. Peter is convinced that the team does not have any financial problems similar to the ones it suffered this season.
While talking about the teams future aspirations, Sauber commented that it was difficult to predict the future for the upcoming season. Yet, he was optimistic that the next season would be much better than this one. Throughout the current season, Sauber has swung between the eighth and fourth spots. At the moment, Sauber is at the 8th position with Force India a place ahead, with an advantage of eighteen points. Sauber is less likely to overcome this difference owing to the better form of the car and drivers of the Indian team.
Still, Sauber is happy to declare that he has been pretty happy with the performance of both its drivers as they tried to give their best on the track all through the season.
Senior team driver Kamui Kobayashi was unable to demonstrate the pace that he showed last season as he failed to finish six of the 13 races held so far. Three were lost due to technical issues and the other three due to accidents. Despite this, the team principal declared that he was satisfied but hopes to see better results from the drivers in the rest of the races.
With six more races to go, Sauber is hoping to bag a few good finishes before the season ends. Peter Sauber concluded by saying that the last few races would provide the impetus for a wonderful start for the 2011 season.
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