AUGUST 14, 2000
Verstappen talks to Sauber
THE Sauber team is under pressure to produce better results in 2001 and, while Mika Salo has done well on occasion this year, Pedro Diniz has been rather disappointing and the team may be looking at replacing him.
Verstappen is under an option to continue with Arrows but Tom Walkinshaw is not sure whether he is going to take it up as Verstappen's qualifying has not been very good this year and Walkinshaw wants an improvement before he re-signs the Dutchman. On paper the Sauber package looks like being stronger than the Arrows next year despite a lot of talk about the takeover of Peugeot Sport by Asia Motor Technologies. There is still no evidence to suggest that there is an automobile manufacturer behind AMT and until there are more details available there are going to be doubts about the program. It is clear that most of Arrows sponsors are happy enough with what has happened this year and although the team is going to lose some of its staff at the end of the year, the main figures in the technical team will probably not change as they are all under contract.