Sauber rookie drivers still wet behind the ears
Despite the inexperience of his 2011 driver line-up, team owner
Peter Sauber is unconcerned.
Bringing in rookie Sergio Perez to drive alongside Kamui Kobayashi, who only made his Formula 1 debut at the end of 2009, the duo will have just 21 Grands Prix between them at the start of next season.
But given that Sauber veteran driver Pedro de la Rosa has actually scored less points than the newbie Kobayashi, experience has not been a deciding factor in this years’ F1 season.
"With a rookie and with Pedro, who was out of Formula 1 for many years, we scored one point in the first eight races," said Sauber. "In the next eight races, we scored 36 points."
Sauber attributes these peculiar irregularities to their current car's notorious unreliability. "With a reliable car, reliable engine and gearbox, it would have also been possible to score 36 points in the first part of this period. With a rookie and - I
don't like this word - old driver, we could have been in a good position."
Despite Kobayashi’s mediocre GP2 career, Sauber is impressed by the young driver’s aggressive charging style, and take-no-prisoners attitude. "We are all positively surprised by Kamui. What is significant is the fact that the rookie scored significantly
more points than [de la Rosa]. I am convinced [Kobayashi] can make another step forward next year."
Sauber has had an interesting history of molding rookies into champion drivers. Indeed, its greatest season came in 2001 when the team fielded a highly inexperienced driver line-up with second-year driver Nick Heidfeld and Formula Renault UK graduate Kimi
Raikkonen. The resulting partnership flourished, allowing Sauber to take a strong fourth in the constructors' championship.
Ultimately, that season's achievements convinced the team boss that rookies should not be underestimated.
"In 2001, with Kimi and Nick - it was Nick's second year of Formula 1 and the first year for Kimi - it was a very successful year for us, with fourth place in the championship."
The partnership between Kobayashi and Perez gets underway in 2011. And while F1 pundits will undoubtedly take note of their lack experience, no one could ever accuse the pair of lacking in courage, morale or determination.
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