Sauber justifies cash advance from FOM

Sauber asked Bernie Ecclestone for an advance payment on monies owed to it by FOM to maintain liquidity needs and to prevent rival Force India from gaining a competitive advantage from its own advance cash request.

Force India's solicitation of payment which was lodged with FOM in October was apparently accepted, and this prompted Sauber and Manor to file similar requests.

"We saw some of our competitors had done that and that can give you a direct competitive advantage," Sauber boss Monisha Kaltenborn told Autosport.

"So we felt that when our competitors had done it, it would definitely make our life easier, so that's why we did it. If you can make your liquidity easier, of course it helps the company. We are not in a position where you can say it doesn't matter at all."

Money is distributed by Ecclestone to teams on a monthly basis from February to November which leaves the outfits with a cash flow gap of two months at a very cost-effective and peak production period.

Advance payments demand unanimous consent from all F1 teams before FOM can process them, but Kaltenborn does not foresee any troubles on this level.

"I don't see why anybody would be against it considering other teams have got it," she concluded. "It would not be a nice thing among teams if suddenly one team says no for no reason."

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