Sauber team principal Monisha Kaltenborn says Marcus Ericsson has been retained because he has shown he is "willing to go that extra mile" for the team.
Ericsson's stay was confirmed by Sauber on Monday morning, with the Swede remaining with the team for a third consecutive season. Despite not scoring a point so far this season - with Sauber's only points to date coming courtesy of Felipe Nasr in Brazil - Kaltenborn says Ericsson's approach to working with the team was a key factor in his contract extension.
“We are very pleased to announce that Marcus will remain our race driver for the Sauber F1 Team in 2017," Kaltenborn said. "During the current season Marcus has again showed he is willing to go that extra mile in order to make progress.
"He went through very difficult times with us, but managed those very well. In the last two years, he has made significant steps in regards to his personal development, proving his skills on as well as off track, especially when circumstances are not easy.
"He is not only a good driver, but also an important team player who understands how to work with the team and how to motivate everyone with his positive attitude. Formula One goes into a new era in 2017, and I am confident that we can count on Marcus to bring the team back into the competition.”
Sauber's announcement leaves just three seats available on the 2017 grid, with one more seat at the Swiss team along with two vacancies at Manor.
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