Formula 1: No Sauber future with Honda
FORMULA 1 The planned technological partnership between the Sauber F1 Team and Honda has been discontinued. This cooperation should have started in 2018. The new engine partner will be announced soon. Frédéric Vasseur has barely been in office as the new Team Principal and CEO of Sauber Motorsport (since July 10) when he has to announce the separation from future engine partner Honda. After the [...]
Frédéric Vasseur has barely been in office as the new Team Principal and CEO of Sauber Motorsport (since July 10) when he has to announce his separation from future engine partner Honda.
After the departure of Monisha Kaltenborn, rumors first surfaced that the deal she had arranged with the Japanese could fall through. This has now been confirmed.
Frédéric Vasseur: "It is very unfortunate that we have to discontinue the planned collaboration with Honda at this time. This decision was taken for strategic reasons and with the best intentions for the future of the Sauber F1 Team. We would like to thank Honda for the cooperation so far and wish them all the best for their future in Formula 1."
The reason for this was apparently a difference of opinion about the future direction of the two parties. At the moment, Honda only supplies the McLaren team. After persistent engine damage and an obvious performance disadvantage compared to the competition, this partnership is also in crisis.
Did the new team boss know beforehand?
The new French team boss must now try to extend the already terminated partnership with Ferrari (which would make sense) or buy in as a new customer from Mercedes (rather unlikely) or Renault (quite conceivable). Renault Sport F1 knows Vasseur from his year in office in 2016 - the only question is with what opinion he left the French works team after just one year...
Vasseur doesn't have much time left: the 2018 GP season starts in Australia in just eight months' time. The design of next year's race cars should have been completed long ago and those for 2019 should have already begun.
The Sauber press release states that the new engine deal will be announced soon. It is quite possible that Vasseur already knew a way out when he took up office in Hinwil and was preferred by the new owners over the other candidates for this very reason.
