Sauber concerns over F1 governance remain despite takeover

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The fresh stability as a result of Sauber’s recent takeover does not change the team’s concerns regarding the distribution of funds in F1, says Monisha Kaltenborn.

Sauber and Force India formally complained to the European Union over the unequal distribution of funds between the teams in the sport - with Ferrari having received the most money from the Formula One Group as a result of its 2014 performance despite finishing third in the constructors’ standings - as well as the way rules are set.

Sauber has recently been taken over by Longbow Finance, bringing much needed security for the team’s future. However, asked if the increased stability changes the team’s outlook in terms of its concerns with the current funding structure in F1, Kaltenborn told F1i: “No.

“I think the points we have raised we have always made clear is not coming from where we all are, or where we both are. This is something genuine which we really believe and we would have the same opinion if we were somewhere else on the grid because it is not about using this to get some sort of commercial deal out of it.

“We have clearly shown our concerns that the privileges given have a direct unfair effect on the competition and I think nobody can deny that.”

And Kaltenborn says Sauber and Force India can do no more in terms of voicing their concerns, saying the ball is now in Ecclestone’s.

“Well it’s being looked at and I think we’ve made our points very clear. They are very well understood and now it is for the other side to react.”

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.