Abu Dhabi GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “We are heading out to Abu Dhabi for the season finale. It is positive to see that we have been making some progress over the last few race weekends, and I will do everything to make sure that we continue to work in the right direction. Abu Dhabi is a great location, and a city rich with culture and tradition. The Yas Marina Circuit is a fun one, and the atmosphere and fans are always great there. It is usually a spectacular end to the season there, so I look forward to this race weekend.”

Pascal Wehrlein - “The Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi is a memorable one, especially due to the unique location of the track. The race starts at twilight, making it feel mystical. There is always a great show program and there are many activities for fans that take place around the track. Although the championship has already been decided, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is always an exciting end to the season. For my part, I will invest all of my energy in doing the best possible job.”

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Brazilian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “The Brazilian Grand Prix weekend is always a special one. The fans are very passionate and the race itself has a lot of history. During the last race in Mexico I was able to fight my way into the midfield, which was a progress compared to the previous GP weekends. Therefore, I am optimistic that we will be building on that and making further improvements. It is definitely good to get back in the car in Interlagos.”

Pascal Wehrlein - “I look forward to returning to Brazil. We always get a warm welcome from the fans and the atmosphere at the track is great. The unpredictable weather in Interlagos adds some excitement to the weekend, as you never know what to expect. As a team, we have made some progress over the past two race weekends, so I am heading to Sao Paulo with a positive feeling. I look forward to being back in the car and to continuing to work in the right direction.”

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US GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “Going to Austin is always lots of fun. It’s a great race on an interesting track. In my opinion, it is one of the best of the newer tracks on the calendar. The city of Austin has a lot to offer, which makes it even more enjoyable to be there. Straight afterwards, we are heading to Mexico City – another great race weekend. We usually have lots of support from the fans there which makes the atmosphere very special. I look forward to being back in the car and getting the maximum out of the car in both races.”

Pascal Wehrlein - “I’m looking forward to the next races. The US Grand Prix takes place close to Austin – a vibrant city with character. The track is challenging but at the same time fun to drive, especially due to the wide variety of fast and slow corners it features. There will also be events taking place around the track which will make the experience great for the fans. As for the Mexican Grand Prix, I like the atmosphere at the track as the fans are very passionate. The last sector is especially impressive, giving the feel of driving into a stadium.”

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Malaysian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “Another tough race ahead of us, with very hot and humid conditions in Malaysia. The track is a challenging one – it has both fast and slow corners, so it will be critical for us to get the tyres to work properly. I used the past week to recharge, and will do my best to come back stronger at the Malaysian Grand Prix. As for Japan – it is a very special race for me, as I lived and raced there in 2009. I have great memories of my time there and the atmosphere is always great. I feel like I am in my second home.”

Pascal Wehrlein - “I look forward to the Malaysian Grand Prix. Like Singapore, the temperatures as well as the humidity are quite high, so it will be challenging both physically, in terms of enduring the heat in the car, and technically in terms of managing the tyres. Another special aspect of this race weekend is the unpredictable weather. After Malaysia we are heading to Japan – I am excited to go back there. The fans at Suzuka are real racing enthusiasts, so that makes it even more fun to race there.”

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Singapore GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “I am really looking forward to racing in Singapore again. It is a pleasure to be in such a great city, and night races are always a lot of fun. In terms of the driving experience, I’d say it is one of the best tracks of the year. The Marina Bay Street Circuit is a city track, and has the highest number of corners out of all tracks on the calendar. The high temperatures and humidity add an extra challenge to all the drivers and team members. As for the fan experience – there are a lot of events taking place around the city, so it will be an exciting weekend all-round.”

Pascal Wehrlein - “I can’t wait to be back in Singapore – it is my favourite race of the season. I generally like night races, but Singapore takes the experience of driving in one to the ‘next level’, especially in terms of the atmosphere. The city is lit up and I like the challenge of driving on a city circuit. We also get to break out of our usual weekend routine there, as most of our on and off-track activities take place at night – that’s nice for a change. Overall, this race weekend will be an exciting one and I am looking forward to climbing back into the car there.”

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Belgian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “It is good to be back in motion after having had some time to rest during my holidays. We are off to Spa this weekend, which is definitely one of the highlights of the year. It is a good challenge because of all of the high-speed corners, especially the famous Eau Rouge corner. The weather usually plays a big role there, so that should add an extra spark to the weekend. As for Monza – it is one of the most historic races on the calendar, and always a pleasure to come back and meet the enthusiastic Italian fans there. Since Monza is a low-downforce track, it will be essential for us to find the highest possible top-speed in the straights.”

Pascal Wehrlein - “It’s great to get in the car again after the summer break. I took some time to reflect on the first part of the season and feel confident returning to the track with a boost of energy. Our first stop will be Spa-Francorchamps – the track is famous for its interesting corners and it is both fun and demanding to drive there. The atmosphere is always great and the fans are incredibly passionate. After that, we will travel to Monza, which is one of the most traditional tracks on the calendar. I can’t wait to start racing again.”

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Hungarian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “Off to the last race before the F1 shutdown – the Hungaroring is a track that I have been to a lot in the past couple of years. It is a very technical track with interesting corner combinations. I especially look forward to seeing my Swedish fans there, which motivates me even more to perform well. We will also have new parts on the car, and it will be interesting to see the first insights of this aerodynamic update. Hopefully, it will bring us forward so that we can fight our way into the midfield.”

Pascal Wehrlein - “I am looking forward to the Hungarian GP, and in particular to the first part of our aerodynamic update which will be introduced there. It will be exciting to see how the adaptations will affect our performance. This will be our last race before the F1 shutdown – I will do my best to perform well and to finish the first half of the season on a positive note.”

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Azerbaijan GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “This will be our second trip to Baku – definitely an interesting location. It is a city track with long straights and interesting corner combinations, making it quite special. Last season, relatively high track temperatures had an impact on our tyre management. I expect that we will have similar conditions this year. As a team, our goal remains to make further progress in improving the performance of our car.”

Pascal Wehrlein - “I am really looking forward to getting back into the car in Baku. Last year′s race weekend in Azerbaijan was quite interesting for all of us, because it was the first time that a Formula 1 GP took place there. Finding the suitable car set-up for this track was a challenge to all of the teams. Due to the layout of the track, top speed and traction are the key factors for success.”

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Canadian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “I always look forward to the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, because I particularly like the track and the atmosphere around the circuit there. The city, the fans, the track and the event are just spectacular. It is a demanding track, especially because of its chicanes. The characteristic turns make it similar to Monaco. The combination of slow turns and long straights make it essential to bring the tyres to ideal temperature to get the right amount of grip. Of course top speed also plays a defining role.”

Pascal Wehrlein - “I am looking forward to the Canadian Grand Prix very much. In Montreal there will be many events this weekend to celebrate the Grand Prix. The track suits me well. It is a mixture of a street track and a racing track – a traditional race with a long history. Next to the engine power, a high braking stability, traction and good change of direction are the most important factors. The long straights offer good overtaking opportunities. Depending on the weather, the car’s aerodynamic configuration will also play an important role.”

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Monaco GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “The Monaco Grand Prix is one of the highlights of the season. It is kind of unique place, as it is so different to other circuits on our calendar. This street track is a lot of fun to drive, but at the same time very challenging. A small mistake can be punished by ending in the barriers. But if you are feeling confident in the car, you can extract the most out of your skills and the car’s perfomance. After the surprising team result in Barcelona, we travel with a good feeling to Monte Carlo. We are making progress, and I am confident that we can further improve with the new parts that we are bringing to Monte Carlo.”

Pascal Wehrlein - “Racing in Monaco is always special – it is fascinating and challenging at the same time, but also because of the tradition and the exciting Formula 1 races in the past. It is a real challenge for us drivers, as we need to drive very precisely. In order to be fast we are forced to drive the cars millimetres away from the barriers, but I like these kinds of challenges. Looking back on the Spanish Grand Prix weekend, we travel with good memories to Monte Carlo. We need to keep working in this development direction to further improve, but I am positive that we will make another step with the new parts on the car in Monaco.”

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Spanish GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - "The Spanish Grand Prix is the traditional race weekend to start the European season of Formula 1. We all know the Circuit de Catalunya very well, as lots of testing has been done there. At this time of the year, it will be different to winter testing as the temperatures are much higher. It will surely be an interesting race weekend for the fans and also for us, because all teams introduce their car updates there. We will also bring first modifications to the car, which we will then enhance and further develop within the next GPs. I am looking forward to this weekend being confident that we make another step in the right direction."

Pascal Wehrlein - "It is always nice to start the European season of Formula 1 at the Spanish Grand Prix. I like the track; it is a demanding circuit for us drivers, but also from a car perspective. The the layout is quite diverse with all kinds of different corners – from low, medium to high speed. Considering the race weekend, it will be important for us to introduce some new aerodynamic parts on the car. I am positive that we can further develop the car in order to make progress, and thus improve the performance on track."

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Bahrain GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - “Thinking about Bahrain, I am eager for the first night race of the season. The track, as well as the surroundings, have a special vibe under the floodlights. It is a spectacular race weekend that I enjoy a lot. Overall the circuit is technical and driving-wise not an easy one, but I always looking forward to racing there.”

Pascal Wehrlein - “For me the most important is that I can train intensively to ensure a 100 percent performance from my side as soon as possible. I will then be well-prepared for my first complete Grand Prix weekend for the Sauber F1 Team. Hopefully this can be in Bahrain but, if not, then we will take the time it needs until Russia to make sure I am completely ready.”

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Chinese GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - "The Chinese Grand Prix brings us to the second round of 2017 Formula Championship. The Shanghai International Circuit has a very long straight, where a good top speed is crucial, and an interesting mix of low, medium and high speed corners. There are also several technical sections where unique corners lead straight into further corners, where a good car balance and precise driving is required."

Pascal Wehrlein - "For me the most important is that I can train intensively to ensure a 100 percent performance from my side as soon as possible. I will then be well-prepared for my first complete Grand Prix weekend for the Sauber F1 Team. Hopefully this can be in Bahrain but, if not, then we will take the time it needs until Russia to make sure I am completely ready."

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Australian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - "I like Melbourne a lot as it is a fantastic place. The fans and the atmosphere there are just great – I always enjoy being downtown in Melbourne and on the circuit at Albert Park. I can't wait to finally kick off the 2017 Formula One season in Australia. After challenging pre-season testing with a lot of data collection and preparation, I am going to Melbourne with a positive mindset. Now we have to see how things work out during the first race weekend with the new car. The Albert Park circuit is a bit tricky with a mix of permanent race track and a street circuit. In general I think it is going to be a challenge to find the right set-up, but I am confident we will get this done."

Pascal Wehrlein - "The Australian Grand Prix will be very special for me and also for the Sauber F1 Team. It is the beginning of my new role as a Formula One race driver in the Swiss team, and I am sure when those five lights go out it will be a unique moment on the race day. During the second week of pre-season testing I had productive days, where I was able to get quite familiar with the Sauber C36-Ferrari procedures. After intense physical preparations in the last few weeks I am excited about going to Melbourne, and I feel ready and well-prepared for the challenging season opener. It looks promising at the moment for me, but we never know until we get to Melbourne. I have full trust in our teamwork."

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Wehrlein To Miss First Pre-Season Test

WEHRLEIN INJURED, WILL SIT OUT FIRST PRE-SEASON TEST

    Sauber’s Pascal Wehrlein will sit out of the first preseason test on medical grounds.

    

    The German suffered a back injury during a crash with Felipe Massa during the Race of Champions last month.

    

    Sauber commented on initial rumours that Wehrlein would miss the test by saying he was still undergoing medical examinations, but he later confirmed on twitter he would be missing the test.

     

    It’s understood Sauber may have come to a deal with Ferrari to allow Antonio Giovinazzi to run alongside Marcus Ericsson in the test, but the team are yet to confirm. Giovinazzi drove a Formula One car for this first time this month when he ran Ferrari’s 2015 challenger at the Fiorano test track.

    

    Testing begins on the 27th of February. 

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Sauber Confirms Wehrlein For 2017

WEHRLEIN CONFIRMED AT SAUBER FOR 2017 SEASON

    Pascal Wehrlein faces a new challenge this season as he switches to Sauber for his second year in Formula One.

    The German moves away from Mercedes run Manor, after missing out on the seat at Force India at the end of last year.

    Monisha Kaltenborn, team principal at Sauber, says Wehrlein showed potential throughout his junior career, including second in the Euro F3 series and a win in the DTM in 2015.

    “Pascal has shown his talent throughout his career, in single seater racing as well as in the DTM,” said Kaltenborn. “Last year, in his rookie Formula One season, he proved his potential by scoring one point in the Austrian GP in Spielberg. There is surely more to come from Pascal, and we want to give him the chance to further grow and learn at the pinnacle of motorsport.”

    Wehrlein will partner Marcus Ericsson, who continues at the team for a third consecutive year. Kaltenborn believes the pair will work well together.

    Working with Ericsson, who has scored nine points in his three years in F1, may allow Wehrlein to develop and learn, but it’s a far shout from the Mercedes seat he almost seemed destined for. The German described the upcoming year as a “challenge”.

    “It’s a new challenge in a new team, and I am really excited and looking forward to this new adventure,” he said. “Our objective is to establish ourselves in the mid-field and to score points on a regular basis.

    “That being said, I will do my best to support Sauber. Now I am looking forward to meeting everyone in the team and to tackling the preparations for the 2017 season.”

    Wehrlein also thanked Mercedes for their support.

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Abu Dhabi GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Manor

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - MANOR RACING F1 TEAM

Pascal Wehrlein - “We just have to do our very best and see where that gets us. I think we have to be realistic about what is possible in Abu Dhabi, but that shouldn’t stop us fighting all the way to the finish. Over the last couple of races we have seen what a difference three solid practice sessions makes to our qualifying and race preparation. We have to get everything right, and at the same time, identify every little advantage and opportunity. If that happens, we have shown four times this year that we can make it into Q2, and a better starting position can make a big difference in the race. Brazil happened, so the chance to show more of what we have achieved together this year is what we are targeting.”

Esteban Ocon - “I will forever be grateful to Manor Racing for giving me the opportunity to begin my F1 career, so my objective is to help put a smile on everyone’s faces on Sunday afternoon. Getting both cars to the chequered flag with one last strong performance under our belts is my target. It maybe won’t change the situation in the constructors’ standings, but it will be a measure of what the team has done well so many times this season.”

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Brazilian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Manor

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - MANOR RACING F1 TEAM

Pascal Wehrlein - “I think this is the perfect venue for this point in the season - a technically interesting track that has a lot of challenges for team and driver, and one where exciting racing is pretty much guaranteed. It’s a race that can create a few surprises - which means opportunities - so we need to be right there to take advantage of them.”

Esteban Ocon - “The first thing for me is to make sure we have managed to dial-out the problem we had in Mexico, as it affected my whole weekend. I’m really hoping we can start from our usual good baseline again and I can focus on building my performance through the weekend. A more representative progression and hopefully a more representative result to go with it. Plus, we have a big job to do for the team in the next two races, so we need to keep pushing and find more performance to help us keep up the fight with Sauber.

On-track, I’ve watched some fantastic racing here over the years and in particular the weather has played a big hand in that. I’ve already witnessed my first Sao Paulo thunderstorm - and I think there are plenty more where that one came from. It’s an exciting track to drive and a nice one to try to master, with all the elevation changes, the harder spectrum tyres and finding the best set-up to manage the aero demands for this circuit. Off-track? I’m looking forward to a nice juicy steak at one of the amazing churrascarias.”

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Mexican GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Manor

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - MANOR RACING F1 TEAM

Pascal Wehrlein - “On Tuesday I travelled here to Mexico City and it was really interesting flying over the city before we landed – so many people living here! On Wednesday I played football with a few of the other drivers and some Mexican professional players. We played on a pitch on top of a shopping mall; I guess there isn’t much space on the ground! It was a lot of fun and a nice way to get pumped ready for the weekend.

Austin went well overall but we didn’t achieve our objective of finishing ahead of Sauber. They remain our main competitor right now and we have to keep them behind us for the rest of the season - especially in the Constructors’ table. It’s too early to know how well this track will favour our car, but I’m looking forward to getting to know another new circuit and finding a good set-up so we can have a nice battle here.”

Esteban Ocon - "(Mexico has) two big stand-out features I think. The first, that it’s a really fast circuit with long straights and one of the highest top speeds of the season. Also, the atmosphere - I hear it’s amazing, especially on race day. I can’t wait to try both of those things for myself!”

(The city)looks really cool, but I think there will be less opportunity to explore. Austin was great because downtown everything is condensed into a reasonably small area. Mexico City is definitely not a reasonably small area! I was expecting ‘big’, but it’s still really surprising to see. So, I think the racetrack will be where we’re spending most of our time this week and it looks pretty cool, so I’m happy for that. It also has a lot of rich history, so it’s been nice talking to Dave (Ryan) and Pat (Fry) over the past couple of days about some of their stories from the ‘old days’. My engineer Juan is also Mexican, so as well as him knowing the track really well, I get great tips on where to find the best Tacos!”

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US GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Manor

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - MANOR RACING F1 TEAM

Pascal Wehrlein - “I’m really excited about heading to the US, Mexico and Brazil. The cities are really cool – places I really want to visit and explore – and the circuits are a mix of new and traditional. So it’s going to be fun. I like the look of the section from Turns 12-15 – very much like the stadium section at Hockenheim, so that gets a thumbs-up before I’ve even started running there. I think the sensation of heading through the start-finish straight and up the steep hill to Turn 1 is going to be really cool as well and then there are some other sections that are reminiscent of other circuits, like Silverstone, so it seems that it has a bit of everything. The weather can be quite mixed there - judging by what I saw there last year - so it will be interesting working with the tyres I think. I can’t wait.”

Esteban Ocon - “I’m really getting into a good rhythm now. At first it was not easy, stepping into a new car mid-season, but every race things are improving and when we have a nice run-up to race day, I can really show what I can do. So, yes, another strong weekend in Austin would be good. It looks pretty amazing. It’s the Live Music Capital of the World, so I’m hoping to experience that a little bit before the hard work starts for the weekend. And the Texas BBQ looks good too. I’ll give that a try, for sure!”

Jordan King (Running in FP#1 Only) - “First of all, I’d like to thank the team for making this possible. It’s another big step in the right direction for me, after two really positive tests in the MRT05 which paved the way for this opportunity. It’s a dream come true, but at the same time I have a job to do in the car on Friday and I want to make sure I give the team plenty of quality feedback and data to help with their US GP challenge.

There’s quite a lot to cram into 90 minutes. I’ll be exploring the balance of the car and correlating that with the team’s simulation work. There’ll be some new components to evaluate, along with the tyre specifications for this event. I’ll also be learning the circuit and getting up to speed with the car, which has been developed quite a bit since I last drove it at Silverstone. I can’t wait!”

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