AUGUST 21, 2015

Sauber not worried about future with Ferrari

Sauber is not worried it will become Ferrari's last priority in 2016 and beyond.

Already this year, the Swiss team has had to wait until this weekend's Belgian grand prix for the engine specification that Ferrari debuted way back in Canada.

And from 2016, the new American entrant Haas will make its F1 debut, strongly backed by the fabled Maranello marque.

Asked if she is worried Sauber is being pushed down Ferrari's priority list, boss Monisha Kaltenborn answered: "We have a long-standing relationship with Ferrari.

"I assume that they will behave as professionally as ever."

Kaltenborn would not, however, comment on the details of Sauber's current contractual relationship with Ferrari.

Before the summer break, she had been quoted as saying F1 teams needed to be careful about how they work with manufacturers, ramping up speculation that a change might be brewing for the Hinwil based team.

A collaboration with Honda, for instance, has been rumoured.

"No, I'm not looking for anyone," Kaltenborn insisted. "I was asked what it is to work with a manufacturer, because we have had such an experience, and I talked about the pros and cons -- and that's all.

"We are open to talks with any strong partner, not only a manufacturer," she added. "But if someone claimed that I dream of a collaboration with BMW -- this is not true."

(GMM)