1 Racing Mind's 2017 Formula 1 Summer Break Report Card: Sauber F1 Team

Photo Credit: Sauber F1® Team / Sauber Motorsport AG 

Team Grade: C-

Driver Grades
Pascal Wehrlein: C+
Marcus Ericsson: D

Part of the Formula 1 grid since 1993, Peter Sauber gave up ownership of his team in the late part of 2016. Now controlled by Longbow Finance (a Swiss-based investment firm), the new owners and managers of the motorsport group appear intent to maintain the Sauber F1 Team branding. For 2017, the team acknowledges 25 years of competition in Formula 1. The Sauber team’s new owners have yet to immediately change the fortunes of the struggling organization.

After 11 races in the 2017 Formula 1 season, Sauber has scored five points coming entirely from German Pascal Wehrlein. Driving last season for the now-defunct Manor Racing team, Wehrlein missed the first two grand prix events as a result of injuries suffered in pre-season Race of Champions event. Sauber test driver Antonio Giovinazzi served as a replacement for the Australian Grand Prix and Chinese Grand Prix. Giovinazzi finished 12th in his Formula 1 debut but was involved in a massive crash at the Shanghai International Circuit. An accident closely mirroring a qualifying crash the Italian endured a day prior, Giovinazzi escaped both incidents unhurt. Participating with Sauber for a third consecutive season is Swedish pilot Marcus Ericsson. Finishing 11th place twice before the Formula 1 summer break, Ericsson hasn’t scored a Formula 1 championship point since the 2015 Italian Grand Prix.

Thoughts of Team for Remainder of 2017:

There remains a chance that the Sauber team will be able to add to their constructors’ point total for 2017 in the remaining races. However, while both Wehrlein and Ericsson will be competing to break into the rear portion of the top-10, the team’s primary devotion may be slated towards 2018. Much of the performance disadvantage with the race cars is connected to the team’s deal with Ferrari for year-old spec engines. Planning for next year, Sauber has already secured an arrangement to receive Ferrari power units built to current specifications.

1 Racing Mind 2015 Formula 1 Mid-season Report Card: Sauber

Photo Credit: Sauber Motorsport AG

 

Sauber

 

Team Score: B

 

Felipe Nasr: B-

Marcus Ericsson: C+

If Formula 1 hands out a most improved award, the Sauber team would be in the running alongside Ferrari for the 2015 season. Ending the 2014 season scoreless in the constructors' points, a revamped car and a completely new driver line-up brought instant results for the Swiss-based team.

In the opening round of the 2015 Formula 1 schedule, Sauber debuted a new blue paint scheme on cars piloted by former Caterham F1 driver Marcus Ericsson and rookie Felipe Nasr. For the first time in his career in the Australian Grand Prix, Ericsson recorded a top-10 points result in Formula 1 finishing eighth. An impressive debut for the team, the Swedish driver was upstaged by his Brazilian teammate. Felipe Nasr started his Formula 1 career was a stunning fifth-place finish at Albert Park in Australia.

With only two non-finishes in 2015 after 10 races, the Sauber C34 chassis accompanied by Ferrari power has been a reliable vehicle. With exception to a gearbox problem that prevented the Brazilian from completing a single lap at the British Grand Prix, Nasr has registered the admirable rookie feat of finishing every grand prix so far in 2015. Marcus Ericsson's only retirement for 2015 occurred at the Malaysian Grand Prix caused by a spin out early in the event.

Ingredients for Second-Half of 2015:

The improvements made by the Sauber F1 team has provided the extra positions they needed to be an occasional top-10 finishing team. Coming close to some decent finishes last year in the races during second part of the season, Sauber could prevail in adding to their points tally for 2015. Sauber's reliability might also come in handy in races through the second part of 2015.

1 Racing Mind 2014 Formula 1 Mid-Season Report: Caterham F1 Team

Photo Credit: Caterham F1 Team

Caterham F1 Team

Team Score: C-

Kamui Kobayashi: C-
Marcus Ericsson: C


While the Marussia F1 Team relieved themselves of the tyranny of being a non-point scoring organization earlier this year, Caterham is now the only Formula 1 team to enter the second-half of the 2014 season without a career top-10 finish. Based on the Caterham F1 Team's performance in past seasons, it served as a mild shock when Marussia scored points first. Running customer Renault engines since 2011, Caterham has continued to come close to scoring a top-10 spot in a grand prix. In July, headlines around Caterham reflected a change in ownership. Tony Fernandes  (the team's original owner who founded the organization as Lotus Racing) has now detached himself from Caterham. Along with Fernandes' partners, the team was sold to a Swiss/Middle East group. Following completion of the team's sale, a number of positions were shuffled. Prior to the German Grand Prix, Christijan Albers was named Team Prinicipal. 

On-track, 2014 drivers Kamui Kobayashi and Marcus Ericsson come from different situations but have faced similar results in competition. Both team cars have suffered three or more retirements after 10 races. Ericsson does boast the team's best result for 2014 with an 11th place at Monaco.

Ingredients for Second-Half of 2014: The Caterham F1 Team is still knocking on the door of a top-10 spot. The best chance at scoring points appears to be luck heading into the final nine races of 2014. It's unsure what effect the management changes will have to the remainder of this season. History tends to say that little will change in regards of performance for at least the immediate future.