APRIL 8, 2017

No 2017 engine for Sauber this year

Sauber boss Monisha Kaltenborn has played down rumours the Swiss team could switch to Ferrari's 2017-spec engine mid-season.

Marcus Ericsson, Chinese GP 2017
© RV Press

Sauber boss Monisha Kaltenborn has played down rumours the Swiss team could switch to Ferrari's 2017-spec engine mid-season.

Amid a struggle to merely survive financially last year, the team inked a deal to use Ferrari's 'old' 2016-spec power unit in 2017.

Sauber has subsequently been bailed out, but Kaltenborn played down the chance the team could now switch to Ferrari's impressive latest engine.

"No, we're not planning that," she said in Shanghai.

"But it's also too early to say how much we are losing, because Australia is not the most representative track.

"We will have to wait a few races and then we will see how far the gap is."

Kaltenborn said Sauber will have a "major update" for the chassis in Barcelona.

(GMM)