With the long August break now over, Niki Lauda thinks the 2012 championship is entering a decisive phase this weekend at fabled Spa Francorchamps. Asked if he is looking forward to the highly popular Belgian grand prix, the triple world champion and F1 legend admitted: "Thank god we at least had the Olympics since the last race. "Otherwise it would have become really boring," the 63-year-old Austrian told Osterreich newspaper. "We can expect a spectacular weekend at Spa." Lauda said it is time Fernando Alonso's […]

Sauber drivers Kamui Kobayashi and Sergio Perez believe that the fast flowing Spa Francorchamps circuit will suit their C31 machines. Sauber sits 6th in the Constructors Championship as the F1 circus resumes for the second half of the season. "Spa-Francorchamps is one of my favourite circuits. I like its high speed corners, and I also like how this track is integrated into the landscape with a lot of greenery. This gives it a very special atmosphere", said Kobayashi. "I’m confident we can be very competitive […]

Sauber's 80 points so far in 2012 belies the true strength of the Swiss-made C31. In fact, Red Bull manager Dr Helmut Marko claims the single seater steered by Sergio Perez and Kamui Kobayashi this year is "perhaps the best car in the field". However, the Ferrari-powered car has been on the podium just twice in 2012 so far, which has attracted criticism of the young driver duo. McLaren's Jenson Button said: "It's not Perez who is the 'tyre whisperer', it's the car. "If I […]

Sauber is "laid back" about its driver situation for 2013. That is the claim of chief executive Monisha Kaltenborn, despite reports Kamui Kobayashi has underperformed, Sergio Perez is on Ferrari's radar, and Caterham's Heikki Kovalainen could be joining the Swiss team next year. "We are not worried," she told F1's official website, when asked about speculation Mexican Perez could be lured to a bigger team off the back of his good performances in 2012. "Regarding the future, we are not under pressure and I am […]

Sauber driver Kamui Kobayashi has targeted a maiden podium in the remaining nine races of the 2012 season. The Japanese driver sits tenth in the championship and all nine drivers above him have finished on an F1 podium this season. "I want to get my first podium in Formula One, because this is definitely within reach with this car", said Kobayashi, who finished a career best fourth in July's German Grand Prix. Kobayashi was also mindful of protecting Sauber's 6th place in the Constructor's Championship. […]

Sauber’s Kamui Kobayashi admitted he was pleased with his fourth-place finish at the German Grand Prix but said that if he and team-mate Sergio Pérez had qualified better they could have scored even more points. Kobayashi started the race in 12th position and climbed through the pack to eventually finish fifth but after the cheqeured flag was elevated to fourth when Sebastian Vettel was given a 20-second penalty for illegally passing Jenson Button while off track during a tussle for second position. The punishment dropped […]

Veteran correspondent Roger Benoit has called on Sauber to rethink its driver lineup. The Swiss team went into the British grand prix as the dark horse for victory, and afterwards even McLaren's Jenson Button admitted the C31 was perhaps the best car in the field. Sauber's points tally, however, was zero. Qualifying was going well until engineers made what team boss Peter Sauber admitted was the "obvious mistake" of fitting intermediate tyres for the sodden circuit. Then came the race. Sergio Perez ended it with […]

Carlos Slim is happy at Sauber, but the Telmex chief is not ruling out a change of direction as Sergio Perez pushes to the front in Formula One. "Peter Sauber is a person who knows the business of F1 like no other and is characterised by his development of new talent," Mexican Slim, who is 22-year-old Perez's high profile financial backer, told the sports newspaper Marca. "The (Telmex) partnership has two sides," he explained. "On the one hand there is our interest with Sergio Perez, […]

Last Sunday in Canada, Sergio Pérez captured the second podium place of the season for the Sauber F1 Team. Team Principal Peter Sauber talks about this extraordinary race, an exciting season and the targets for the forthcoming grands prix. When did you realise on Sunday that a podium place was within grasp? Peter Sauber: “Not until late on in the race. Sergio had started from 15th on the grid, so you wouldn’t normally be contemplating a podium place – you’d be happy just to get […]

The Ferrari-powered C31 is the best car in Sauber's long history, according to team founder, boss and majority owner Peter Sauber. The Swiss team made its grand prix debut with Mercedes' support in 1993 and even won a race during the recent era of BMW ownership. But the white and grey C31 is the best yet, Sauber said, after Sergio Perez returned to the podium in last weekend's Canadian grand prix. Some in F1 circles, however, have largely overlooked Sauber's strength in 2012. "It's true, […]

Kamui Kobayashi is optimistic of a good performance from Sauber in next weekend's Canadian Grand Prix. Kobayashi was eliminated from the Monaco Grand Prix in the early stages after making contact with Romain Grosjean's stricken Lotus. " I think Montreal is one of the places where we can be strong", said the Japanese driver, "In case it is cold there, a key will be how the tyres work. I really like the city and the track, although, unfortunately, I have never had a great result there. […]

Sauber has hit out at Red Bull over cost-cutting in Formula One. It is believed that every team in pitlane except Red Bull - and satellite Toro Rosso - is keen for the FIA to intervene, enshrining cost-cutting and policing in the official regulations in one form or another. But Red Bull's Christian Horner claims to have not even read a recent letter to FIA president Jean Todt that was signed by ten of the twelve teams. "In this sport, foresight is important whenever it […]