Marcus Ericsson in talks with Williams and Renault for 2017
Marcus Ericsson, who has still not signed a contract extension with Sauber, is multiplying his leads to be present on the grid in 2017 at Hinwill or elsewhere.
Since the Sauber team was bought by a group of investors close to Marcus Ericsson’s entourage, it seemed certain that the Swede would remain with the Swiss team for another season. But for some time now, the former Caterham driver has been in discussions with other teams for 2017.
« *We are talking to different teams, including Sauber, but there aren’t many seats available so we will see in the coming weeks. The number one goal is to stay in F1 and in the best possible car. Obviously, it’s not me, but my managers, I think it’s important to keep in touch with all the teams and see what happens.*
Arriving in F1 with Caterham in 2014, the Nordic driver then joined Sauber for 2015 following the bankruptcy of the Anglo-Malaysian team. He contested his fifth Grand Prix in Singapore with a total of five point finishes and his best result being an eighth place in Melbourne in 2015. After three seasons, he wishes to take a step forward in his career, as he believes he has improved since his first season in F1.
« *Now, I’m heading into my fourth season next year, so I’m really looking forward to being in a car where I can be a little more competitive and show what I can do. I feel like I’ve stepped up and after all the time spent as a driver I’ve improved my level, but I haven’t had the chance to really show it yet.* » notes the Sauber driver.
The teams with which the Swede is in talks through his management are mainly Williams, Renault, Force India, and Manor.
“I really, really look forward to being in a seat where I can really fight for points regularly,” Ericsson further states.
« *I want to be in a better package soon so that I can really perform better on the track than what people have seen so far*. »
The outcome of the discussions will mainly depend on the conclusion of ongoing negotiations in the aforementioned teams. At Williams, it seems that Valtteri Bottas’s presence is guaranteed for 2017, but the seat left vacant by Felipe Massa remains. However, the young Canadian Lance Stroll seems to have the upper hand. He also did some tests this week driving a 2014 Williams.
On the Force India side, Nico Hülkenberg will be present once again, but the case of Sergio Pérez is still pending, even though a confirmation of his presence for an additional year from the Mexican seems close. As for Renault, the competition will be tough given the large number of contenders for the main driver positions. For Manor, discussions seem to be less advanced.
But staying with Sauber is a real possibility for Ericsson in light of the numerous recruitments already made and still ongoing, and especially due to the improvement in the team’s financial situation. « That being said, there are a lot of things happening at Sauber now as well, so it will be interesting to see how things will unfold with all the new staff members. » concluded the Swede.
