Sunday: Two retirements for Sauber
Today, disappointment prevails in the Sauber camp. Kamui Kobayashi and Sergio Pérez, who started 17th and 15th respectively, both had to retire during the race due to mechanical issues.
Kamui Kobayashi – Retirement
« The disappointment is great, and for the whole team. Until my withdrawal, it was a race that was both difficult and exciting. But due to a gearbox problem, I was forced to stop the car… I started on hard tires, and the challenge was to stay on the track as long as possible with that set. Sergio later proved that it was possible. But I got caught in the starting accident that involved several cars and my wing got ripped off. During the impact, I also damaged a tire which forced me to pit for softs. Our strategy was ruined, but I still hoped to score points… I am very disappointed. »
Sergio Pérez – Retirement
Despite our poor positions on the grid, we fought well during the race. I started from 15th place and our strategy was to do a long stint on hard tires, and then switch to softs for the end of the race. By the 20th lap, I was even in 7th position! But suddenly, I couldn’t shift gears anymore… I leave the race very frustrated because we missed an opportunity to score big points.
Peter Sauber – Team President
« We had chosen to bet everything on the race, even if this choice put our qualifications at risk. From the first laps, the team was satisfied with having made this decision since we were faster than our direct competitors! We are disappointed because Monza could have been favorable to us in terms of points. But due to gearbox problems, Kamui had to retire on lap 23, and Sergio on lap 30. Sergio, in fact, had an excellent race, holding the 7th place for a long time! Additionally, the staff observed that the car had been faster than expected. »
