Team buyout talks 'at crucial stage' - Peter Sauber

BMW-Sauber has a buyer for its Hinwil based team, should the FIA grant it the thirteenth spot on the 2010 Formula One grid.

That is the claim of the Swiss newspaper Sonntagsblick, although team founder and minor shareholder Peter Sauber was giving nothing away at Monza when he said: "The negotiations are at a crucial stage. I can't say anything."

Rumours earlier this weekend suggested that, in addition to plenty of speculated interest from the international private sector, the Swiss government might also be involved in trying to rescue the locally based team in the wake of BMW's announced withdrawal.

Sauber is in competition with Lotus and Epsilon Euskadi for the last place on next year's grid, but Blick reports that more places might open up soon.

The newspaper said FIA officials will this week visit the factories of the Manor, USF1 and Campos teams, in order to gauge their progress in preparing genuinely for the 2010 world championship.