Sauber at 50: A Swiss success story

©J.Froidevaux

Yesterday was a special day for Sauber, for it marked the 50th anniversary of the birth of the Swiss motorsport giant founded by Peter Sauber.

From a small team competing in hillclimb events, Sauber's outfit evolved of the decades to become a force to be reckoned with in sportscar racing before its debut in Formula 1 in 1993.

Along with its motorsport credentials, the Sauber group has matured into a flagship of Switzerland's technological industry thanks to its Engineering and Aerodynamic subsidiaries.

The former is striving in the field of additive manufacturing, alongside top-end design, development and manufacturing capabilities, which in turn has allowed the company to become active in the healthcare, packaging and automotive sectors, among others, driving innovation and generating new business lines for the concern.

The Hinwil-based group's full-scale windtunnel has extended its usage beyond the motorsport arena and for the benefit of an array of clients from various industry sectors.

On the day of its 50th anniversary, the team looked back on "a proud heritage of innovative design, entrepreneurial spirit and, first and foremost, passion for racing".

 

The pride in what it has done, however, is not what drives us forward. For the focus of the Sauber Group is on driving forward, as the company prepares for the next fifty years of its history.

"Today marks an important milestone in the history of Sauber Motorsport," said Sauber Motorsport CEO Frédéric Vasseur.

"50 years in this business is a long time, but Sauber has always managed to reinvent itself throughout all the challenges that it faced.

"At its core, its biggest strength is the people that built it and that still make sure it can compete at the highest level: its employees.

"Today’s celebrations are a tribute to the hard work, commitment and passion for racing of each one of them – and a wish for the next 50 years to be even more successful than the last ones."

Check out Sauber's 50th anniversary commemorative video in which a selection of former and current drivers pay tribute to the legendary Swiss team.