The Swiss team principal rejects that charge. “As far as I can see it’s
just a handful of people in the paddock who can’t get used to not knowing by
Friday who’s going to win on Sunday,” he said.
“The fans see it in a different light. They’re delighted with the
unpredictability, the sheer variety and the unbelievably close competition.”
Despite the plethora of different winners, the summit of the drivers’
championship, where McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton leads from Red Bull’s Sebastian
Vettel and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, retains a familiar look.
Sauber is just happy that his team can at least compete with the might of the
sport’s traditional powerhouses.
“Of course the four big teams have very different financial possibilities
compared to the private teams in the middle of the pack,” he said. “But
that doesn’t in any way discourage us.
“Our forte is efficiency. The development package that was given its first
airing in Barcelona showed what we are capable of.
“The crucial thing is that the C31 gives us an excellent foundation with
real potential for further development.
“If we manage to exploit our full potential as a team, in other words get
everything right from Friday morning to Sunday evening, a great deal is
possible.
“After seven races it is patently clear that the C31 [car] can be fast on
virtually any kind of track.
“Now, after seven races with seven different winners, so much seems
possible. In Malaysia we came very close to winning. Further podium places
certainly seem a realistic prospect.
“The prerequisite, of course, is that our drivers go into the race from good
grid positions.”
Meanwhile, the head of Ferrari’s driver academy Luca Baldisserri has reignited
rumours that the Scuderia might wish to replace Felipe Massa with Perez at
the end of this year.
The Mexican, a Ferrari protégé, almost beat Alonso to the chequered flag in
Malaysia earlier this year but his form had dipped somewhat prior to his
podium finish in Canada.
“After Monaco, we had a discussion with Sergio,” Baldisserri said. “We wanted
to find out why recent results had not lived up to expectations after the
Malaysian Grand Prix.
“Perez is undoubtedly talented, but he often lets himself down by being too
aggressive which, especially in Formula One, does not deliver results.
“The Montreal race was a great response, a race in which Sergio not only ran
at a great pace, but also managed his race very well, managing to stay on
track for 50 laps on the same set of tyres.”