The Sauber F1 Team will introduce a substantial aero update package for the 2017 Hungarian Grand Prix, which they hope will allow them to make some significant improvements performance wise.
The Swiss squad have continued where they left off last year, scraping together the odd point or two, but primarily languishing towards the back end of the grid on a race weekend.
Driver Pascal Wehrlein, who has scored all five of Sauber’s points this season with an eighth place in Barcelona and tenth in Azerbaijan, is confident that the upgrade will make a huge difference. The German says that if the data form the wind tunnel is to be believed, then a strong result could be on the cards for the Swiss squad.
The 22-year-old is looking forward to seeing how the data translates once they are on track, and excited to see just what they can achieve in Budapest, as he explained to the official formula one website recently.
“For Budapest we are set for a big upgrade. Almost all the car – or all the aero side – will be new, so that should give us a good performance boost.
“If what the data shows really can materialize we could be on a good go. So the plan is to dive through the Silverstone weekend and look forward to Budapest!”
Sauber have been through a few changes so far this season, including the resignation of Team Principal Monisha Kaltenborn and the arrival of the highly accomplished Frederic Vasseur in her place.
Wehrlein says this has not been a distraction for him, and believes the Frenchman is a strong signing for Sauber, having worked with Vasseur during his DTM days. Knowing what he has already accomplished, and just what he is capable of, the German is confident that Vasseur can turnaround the Swiss team’s fortunes.
“I don’t know how fast Fred can change things or how he can change them, but we now have one race left before the summer shut-down.
“In the second half of the season the team will focus on next year, so I don’t think you will see his touch too much this year. So let’s see what we can still do with the tools that we have right now.
“I really respect Fred. I used to work with him in DTM. He had a team when I drove there in 2015.
“He has so much experience in motorsport and in many other ventures outside racing. He is a very successful man. He could help Sauber. He could be very good for the team.”