Sauber in contact with VW

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

[nichosnz 0]

VW continually deny that they will get involved in F1, but that doesn't stop their name coming up several time every year in relation to major works partnerships.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Well I think this is almost as good as confirmation that it can and maybe even will happen. I dont think Peter Sauber would be wasting his time if Pischetsrieder weren't serious, I certainly hope that it happens.

[daz 0]

Me to... It would be great to see Sauber with the full support of a manufacturer...

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

And imagine if VW does to Sauber what BMW did to Williams, it would be fantastic!

[nichosnz 0]

If thing do go really right for Sauber, then in a few years we could have teams supplied by BMW, Mercedes, and VW duking out the championship. Good for the German newspapers.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Even better for the road car sales of the best of the three. Hopefully Sauber do get the backing of VW, it cant do anything but help.

[nichosnz 0]

In the long term, they will probably fall back a few places first up.

[daz 0]

There would most definitely be that year or two "settling" in period but after that I think they could be a great partnership. VW has the backing to design a great engine and Sauber could probably develop a great chassis to complement it. Also by saving the $20mil or so that would normally be paid to Ferrari I'm sure Sauber would surely spend a lot more on the development of the car or on better drivers...

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Sauber has picked up Heinz Harald Frentzen, so he will be the first relatively experienced driver at Sauber since Diniz/Salo in 2000. Definitely a lot of the Ferrari engine money could be put to chassis development, and also take something away from Ferrari to slow them down.

[daz 0]

Hopefully not slow them down to much!!!

[nichosnz 0]

That is exactly what the other two German companies want though. But I don't think it will make a heck of a lot of difference to Ferrari.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Me either, as they do have Vodafone and that is one hell of a large company (it branches out into countries like Finland for example). Probably losing Phillip Morris with the Marlboro backing will hurt, but it will affect Mclaren just as much with West. Williams gains an advantage there, but I dont think Mclaren and Ferrari will be troubled too much by it.

[nichosnz 0]

Apparently thier are companies (such as McDonalds) who are waiting until the ban is enforced then will be willing to enter F1 as sponsors.

[daz 0]

Yeah - I don't think teams like Ferrari or Mclaren will have to much trouble attracting new sponsors. However I think that it could have an impact lower down the grid as some of those teams sponsors might take the opportunity to become title sponsors of the big teams...

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

The Golden Arches in F1, that'd be interesting! Would fit on the Ferrari though, both are red and some yellow on the Ferrari couldn't be too ugly either. But then why would McDonalds want to spend money on sponsorship in F1, when their brand name is known pretty much everywhere? Would give them a good slogan though, "fast food taken literally" But then the drivers probably havent had a burger since their careers started, or at least since the 01-02 offseason..

I see the technology companies getting into F1 as sponsors, companies such as Sony, Dell, and definitely, oh so very surely I can see Nokia entering F1. With the current moble phone boom around the world and talented Finnish drivers in F1, why not have a Finnish phone company sponsor in F1?

Mclaren can also probably boost up Siemens or Computer Associates from the bargeboards to the rearwing and the side of the car..