NOVEMBER 4, 2019

Sauber would survive Alfa Romeo exit

F1's Swiss-based team will survive even if it loses its Alfa Romeo backing.

F1's Swiss-based team will survive even if it loses its Alfa Romeo backing.

That is the claim of Ossi Oikarinen, a former BMW Sauber engineer who is now a pundit for Finnish broadcaster C More.

Rumours in Austin suggested that amid the Hinwil based team's current performance slump, Alfa Romeo - having only taken over Sauber's naming rights in 2019 - might pull out.

"It's difficult to say if there's anything behind those rumours," Oikarinen said.

"But even if Alfa Romeo goes, I don't think the team would go anywhere. They would go on as they have before," he added.

Indeed, Oikarinen thinks Sauber can actually thrive as the new budget cap starts to take effect from 2021.

"Perhaps that is their hope for the future," he said.

"If Formula 1 teams end up with tight budgets, that's good for Sauber. They've always had a small budget but managed to develop good cars with their little resources."

(GMM)