Kubica to 'support Sauber' after BMW exit

Robert Kubica's manager says the Polish driver will be supportive of the BMW-Sauber team in the wake of this week's news.

On Wednesday, the German carmaker BMW said it will withdraw from Formula One at the end of 2009. Team founder Peter Sauber retains a 20 per cent share in the Hinwil-based outfit.

Kubica's manager Daniele Morelli told the Swiss newspaper Blick: "We will support Sauber with the rescue of the team."

Morelli added that Kubica, 24, is under contract until the end of next year but is now officially on the market.

Blick said long time sponsor Petronas, the Malaysian oil company, may be a takeover candidate.

Petronas said in a statement: "Petronas' involvement in F1 with the BMW-Sauber team has been that of a strategic partnership, to complement the company's branding and business marketing objectives through the areas of premium branding efforts."

Team test driver Christian Klien, meanwhile, was asked by Vorarlberger Online if he can imagine 65-year-old Peter Sauber resuming control of the team he founded in 1993.

"I cannot judge," the Austrian answered, "but we have seen that we are a healthy team with a good infrastructure. I can well imagine that, as with Honda and Brawn, a buyer will be bound.

"I think the team will go on somehow," Klien added.