Vasseur open to running Ferrari juniors at Sauber

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Sauber boss Fred Vasseur believes running a Ferrari junior driver such as Charles Leclerc would make sense for the Swiss outfit.

Sauber recently extended its engine contract with the Italian outfit, after canceling its plans to run Honda power next season.

While its contract with Maranello does not include the right for the Scuderia to impose one of its junior drivers at the Hinwill-based team, Vasseur is nevertheless open to the idea as Ferrari considers Sauber a de facto destination for its young talent.

"As a team, it would make sense to have someone like Leclerc or other young drivers," the recently appointed Sauber team principal told Motorsport.com.

"It is a bit too early to speak about drivers, to be honest.

"We had to close the [engine] deal quite quickly. It would be a mistake to mix the drivers into the discussion. But we will have the discussion in the next few weeks."

Marchionne sees Sauber as training ground for Ferrari talent

Ferrari currently has two drivers targeting a full-time seat in F1 in the near future: Leclerc and Antonio Giovinazzi.

"The engines for Sauber are a way to create a kind of junior team for our young drivers," Marchionne said in Hungary.

"We have two great young talents, but to secure the future of Ferrari, we need the chance to train them somewhere.

"We need space for them, so it's a great idea and we're working on it," Marchionne added.

With Sauber's Marcus Ericsson enjoying a close relationship with the team's owners, teammate Pascal Wehrlein could find himself as the odd man out at the end of the season, with either Leclerc or Giovinazzi replacing the German for 2018.

"I think it will be difficult to do it before September but that could be a good target," concluded Vasseur.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.