Hinwil (Switzerland), July 29 (DPA) Team founder Peter Sauber admitted Wednesday that the BMW-Sauber team will struggle to maintain a presence in Formula One following BMW’s decision to withdraw from the sport.
“BMW’s announcement that it was pulling out of Formula One at the end of the season was a complete surprise for me. I respect and accept the decision but am still finding it hard to digest,” said Sauber, who formed Sauber in 1993 but is now a minority shareholder after the German carmaker took control in June 2005.
Sauber hopes to find a solution that enables Sauber to continue as a team with its headquarters in Hinwil, Switzerland but admits he is facing an uphill task, even with his 20-per-cent stake.
“The position we are in now makes it very difficult,” admitted the 65-year-old.
The Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) has announced it will stand behind any attempt to save Sauber with general secretary Simone Perillo announcing Wednesday that FOTA was ready to give “every necessary support” to the Swiss-based team.
BMW took over the team in 2005 and debuted in the Formula One a year later. In 63 races to date, BMW-Sauber so far has celebrated only one victory, by Polish driver Robert Kubica in Montreal, Canada, in June 2008.
rounak