Sauber F1 team keeping its engine options open for 2018
Sauber team boss Monisha Kaltenborn says that Honda and Mercedes are both candidates to replace the Swiss outfit’s long time partner Ferrari as it considers its options for 2018.
A decision has to be made soon, because under Appendix 9 of the F1 Sporting Regulations manufacturers have to notify the FIA of the teams it wishes to supply by May 6.
Pascal Wehrlein’s presence has opened up the possibility of a part-subsidized Mercedes supply, while speculation that Sauber could switch to Honda and even become its works team has intensified since McLaren was linked to a switch back to Mercedes.
“All I can tell you is yes we have had discussions with them,” said Kaltenborn. “But we are open on our engine situation. I think we have a couple of options. We know that a call has to be made soon. We know that, and of course the sooner you have clarity, the better for development.”
Regarding Mercedes: “It’s also a possibility. Like I said, we have a couple of options, and we are simply not decided.”
Kaltenborn insists that the decision to go with a frozen 2016 Ferrari power unit for this season rather than the latest unit was made for “strategic” reasons.
“When we took the decision we didn’t have the change of ownership at that time. It was really a technically driven decision. Of course that is some way connected to the financial situation at that time, because then we knew with whatever funding we have, we can already put that into performance development.
“But that was not the driver of that decision. The position we are now in, we do not need that kind of consideration. It’s not that we couldn’t have paid those extra millions more, but it was a strategic decision we took, and we stick to that decision, and we focus on our aero side more.”
Kaltenborn continues to play down the potential drawbacks as all the other other teams gain from power unit development, while the performance of the 2016 Ferrari remains unchanged.
“I still don’t think it’s going to be a handicap. Of course there will be development on the engine side and we will not benefit from it that way. We expect that to kick in somewhere with the second or third engine, which will come up down the road.
“Fine, we knew that from the beginning. But we still don’t think it’s going to be that major a handicap because we based our development plan on the chassis side exactly on this kind of estimation, I’d say.”
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