Sauber wants upgraded Ferrari engine before end of season

Ferrari used three more of its development tokens ahead of the Italian Grand Prix in a bid to try to close the gap on Mercedes.

And while Ferrari-customer Sauber is currently on the previous specification of engine, having switched over at Spa-Francorchamps, the outfit is eager to get another performance boost before the end of the year.

Team principal Monisha Kaltenborn told Motorsport.com: "We are in discussion with Ferrari about exactly when we are to get the next step.

"For the end of the season, I think we will have another boost."

Aero upgrade first

Sauber has enjoyed a step forward in form thanks to its new Ferrari engine, and it is hoping that a major aerodynamic upgrade coming for Singapore will deliver more pace too.

But until the team knows what others are bringing, it is refusing to get carried away with its ambitions.

"It is too early to do that, too speculative," Kaltenborn said: "We know what we are bringing there, we don't know what others are going to bring there. So I guess we just have to wait and see."

However, Kaltenborn said that being back in the points at Monza was a positive – and well-timed considering the upgrade plans.

"In Italy we maximised the upgrade which we had on the engine, which was so important with the power. That shows us the actual potential of everything.

"The points gives the teams confidence, and the timing is good considering what we have planned for Singapore."