Breaking news
Formula 1
Sauber set to extend Ferrari F1 deal despite Renault rumours
Sauber is set to extend its Formula 1 partnership with Ferrari through to 2025, ending suggestions of a switch to Renault support, Motorsport.com has learned.
Luke Smith Franco Nugnes
Published: Jan 20, 2021, 12:15 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Sauber has been a Ferrari customer F1 team since 2010, and forged closer ties with the Italian manufacturer by adopting the name of its sister brand, Alfa Romeo, in 2019.
The existing deal between Sauber and Ferrari is due to expire at the end of this year, leading to suggestions the Swiss outfit could be a potential option for Renault as a new customer team.
But Motorsport.com understands that a deal has been agreed between Sauber and Ferrari for a new engine supply deal from 2022 to 2025.
Although the agreement is yet to have been signed, plans are already in place for a continuation of the partnership. The design of the 2022 Sauber chassis has commenced accounting for the dimensions of a Ferrari power unit and gearbox, pointing to an extension of the current agreement.
Renault lost its final F1 customer squad, McLaren, at the end of last year, and is interested in working with new partner teams in the future, leading to suggestions it could link up with Sauber.
Although team principal Frederic Vasseur has maintained a good relationship with the Renault team where he briefly worked in 2016, the shareholders of the Sauber squad are eager for stability by continuing to work with Ferrari.
An extension of the agreement will keep Ferrari’s political footing on the F1 grid intact, with two customer teams alongside its works squad.
Sauber has raced with Ferrari-affiliated driver Antonio Giovinazzi since 2019, while growing ties are anticipated with Haas, which will hand Ferrari Driver Academy member Mick Schumacher his F1 debut this year.
It is not yet clear if the team will continue to race under the Alfa Romeo name beyond 2021, with fresh discussions expected following the merger between parent company Fiat Chrysler and PSA Group, forming the fourth-largest carmaker in the world under the name Stellantis.
Read Also:
- Alfa Romeo reveals launch date for C41 2021 F1 car
- Continuing Alfa Romeo ties "crucial" for F1 team's future
Sauber announced a one-year extension of its partnership with Alfa Romeo back in October, with the two parties also collaborating on the design of the Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA and GTAm road cars.
Vasseur said at the end of last season that an extension of the partnership with Alfa Romeo was “crucial” for the Sauber squad.
“I don't want to speak about the financial aspect but for sure it's a part of this,” Vasseur told Motorsport.com.
“It’s rather the motivation that you can add into the team, the activity that you can afford the recruiting and for the development of the company for the future of the company, that we need to have this kind of internal motivation.
“The fact that Alfa Romeo is extending the deal with us and want to develop the partnership, for sure it's a nice reward.
“But it's not just a reward, it's a next step for us. We are collaborating a lot on the automotive side now. I think it's a good partnership for the company.”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article The car that set the tone for Mercedes' F1 dominance
Next article Perez already has some "good ideas" to drive Red Bull forward
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Luke Smith
1998 Belgian GP: When the Schumachers went to war
Formula 1
Formula 1
1998 Belgian GP: When the Schumachers went to war
The race that transformed perceptions of Red Bull
Formula 1
Formula 1
The race that transformed perceptions of Red Bull
Hamilton in the process of selecting Brad Pitt’s co-star for F1 movie
Formula 1
Formula 1
Hamilton in the process of selecting Brad Pitt’s co-star for F1 movie
More from
Alfa Romeo
What F1 history tells us about three-way title deciders
Formula 1
Formula 1
Abu Dhabi GP
What F1 history tells us about three-way title deciders
F1 cars from 1950 to 2025: Alfa Romeo 158 vs McLaren MCL39
Formula 1
Formula 1
F1 cars from 1950 to 2025: Alfa Romeo 158 vs McLaren MCL39
F1 reserve drivers: All the back-up racers for 2025
Formula 1
Formula 1
F1 reserve drivers: All the back-up racers for 2025
Latest news
Gabriel Bortoleto on Kimi Antonelli and Isack Hadjar's F1 success: 'Let's see where we are in 20 years'
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Singapore GP
59 min
Gabriel Bortoleto on Kimi Antonelli and Isack Hadjar's F1 success: 'Let's see where we are in 20 years'
Nicki Thiim's cheeky F1 jab: "Max Verstappen just wants to drive a proper race car!"
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance
WCEE GT World Challenge Europe Endurance 1 h
Nicki Thiim's cheeky F1 jab: "Max Verstappen just wants to drive a proper race car!"
MotoGP riders say 850cc bikes will be less physical and more fun to ride
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Indonesian GP
1 h
MotoGP riders say 850cc bikes will be less physical and more fun to ride
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe