Sutil finally confirmed at Sauber

Sauber has confirmed that Adrian Sutil will join the Swiss team next year, as previously predicted here.

The announcement follows lengthy negotiations. The German driver had expected to stay at Force India, but found himself squeezed out after Sergio Perez came onto the market. He had already laid the groundwork for a possible move to the Hinwil outfit, but over the weeks since the Brazilian GP the move has at times been in the balance due to uncertainty over the team’s future plans.

An added complication was that he could not proceed until the long rumoured Perez move to Force India was officially confirmed yesterday.

“We are pleased, that we were able to sign Adrian, particularly as we have been wanting to work together with him for a while,” said team boss Monisha Kaltenborn. “Adrian had already visited the factory at the end of September to have a look at the infrastructure. Adrian is not only very fast, but also brings a lot of experience, which is very important looking at the new regulations for next year. We welcome Adrian to the Sauber F1 Team and look forward to a successful collaboration.”

“I am very happy that we found common ground,” said Sutil. “Although I have known for a while where I wanted to go, in the end the negotiations took a bit longer than planned. However, now I will have all the more reason to celebrate during the Christmas season. I’ve been in contact with Monisha for a while, and she always gave me the feeling my qualities are valued. After six good years driving for Force India, with a lot of highlights, it’s now time to embark on a new challenge.

“I am determined to do my part in order to have a successful future together with the Sauber F1 Team. The long and successful tradition in motorsport, combined with an impressive factory and one of the best wind tunnels in F1, have been fascinating me for a long time. Thank you to Peter Sauber and Monisha Kaltenborn for your trust in me.”