Contract fulfilled for Sauber with confirmation of tenth place in the constructors’ standings!

Since the Austrian Grand Prix, where Manor scored its first point, the Swiss team had been racing for points to avoid finishing last in the 2016 standings. Finally, it was Felipe Nasr, on home soil in Brazil, who, thanks to the treacherous weather conditions, delivered for the Hinwil firm by securing a ninth place and two crucial points.

But before turning off the spotlights of this year 2016, Marcus Ericsson and Felipe Nasr still had their work cut out for them – in order to maintain their advantage in the Championship. The situation was not looking good after the qualifications.

Despite finishing the #AbuDhabiGP in P15 & P16, we reached our objective by maintaining 10th position https://t.co/PJYvjfa9ua #F1 pic.twitter.com/EaOCIZxQu9

— Sauber F1 Team (@SauberF1Team) 27 novembre 2016

Marcus Ericsson started last for this finale and opted for a one-stop strategy with the soft tires at the start. Then, he switched to the super-softs on the 38th lap for the final 18 laps in Abu Dhabi. This strategy allowed him to gain a few positions, finishing fifteenth.

The Swede describes his race: « It was a very tough race. We decided to go with a one-stop strategy. I think we executed it well. Overall, I am satisfied with my performance, but obviously, the result doesn’t really reflect that. I managed the tires well for a good number of laps, which allowed me to push a bit more. However, we didn’t have the pace. »

In conclusion, he now turns towards the off-season and the upcoming new edition, while wanting to thank his team for the work accomplished: « With the end of the season, we will go into winter break during which we can recharge our batteries for 2017. I am excited about this new era in Formula 1. A big thank you to everyone, here on the track and in Hinwil at the factory, for this challenging year. We have stayed united and worked hard, which will make us stronger for the future. »

Felipe Nasr also gained positions compared to his starting place. He started from 19th position with a two-stop strategy, ultimately finishing 16th behind his teammate. The latter had a good start with the super-softs and then the softs twice; but like his teammate, he suffered from the lack of performance of his car: « I had a very good start, reaching even 14th position in the first lap. I was battling hard to try to stay in that position as long as possible, but we did not have the pace to keep our opponents behind us. In the middle of the stint, everything was going well, we just had to ensure we kept the Manor cars behind us. But unfortunately, there was contact between one of the Manor cars and me. The floor and the rim were damaged, and we even thought the front wing was also affected, which forced me to stop earlier than planned. The race was compromised, and if it weren’t for this incident, we could have finished a bit higher in the standings. »

But the most important thing for the Brazilian driver and his team was to secure this tenth position in the Constructors’ Championship: « The main thing was to guarantee our position. I am happy that we were able to confirm it. To summarize my season, I am delighted with this new year spent at Sauber. It was a tough season, but I think at times we learned a lot. My relationship with everyone on the team has been strong while facing difficult moments throughout the season. The two points earned in Brazil rewarded these moments, and the whole team deserved it. I sincerely thank everyone. »

The question now is whether Felipe Nasr will continue with the Sauber team next season.

In any case, the new era that the premier discipline of motorsport is entering will signal a reshuffling of the deck, which could allow the Swiss firm to hope for better results and performances without having to wait until the penultimate Grand Prix to score points.