FEBRUARY 14, 2014

Sauber signs up female driver de Silvestro

Sauber has signed up female driver Simona de Silvestro.

Sauber has signed up female driver Simona de Silvestro.

The 25-year-old Swiss, an Indycar driver for the past four years, has become "an affiliated driver" with the Swiss F1 team, Sauber announced on Friday.

She will undertake "on track testing, simulator training, as well as mental and physical preparation", with the goal being "to gain her super licence and prepare for a race seat in formula one for 2015".

"Simona's ambition is to enter formula one in 2015," confirmed Sauber chief Monisha Kaltenborn, who was F1's first female team boss.

Sauber's reserve driver in 2014 is Dutchman Giedo van der Garde, while Russian Sergey Sirotkin is a test driver.

(GMM)