Sauber stays ahead of Toro Rosso
The Sauber F1 Team finished the 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship seventh in the constructors’ championship. Kamui Kobayashi managed to improve from 16th on the grid to finish ninth in the Brazilian Grand Prix. He scored two points, which meant the team stayed ahead of Toro Rosso by three points.
Sergio Pérez, who had started from 17th, had a spin at half distance and finished the race in 13th place. Kobayashi scored points in nine out of the 19 races in his second Formula One season. Pérez, who had to miss two of his rookie season’s races after his accident in Monaco, finished in the points five times. The Sauber F1 Team’s best result of the year remains Kobayashi’s fifth place at the Monaco Grand Prix.
Kamui Kobayashi: 9th
Sauber C30-Ferrari (Chassis 01 / Ferrari 056)
Start on used soft tyres, after 21 laps change to used soft tyres and after 43 laps change to new medium compound tyres
“The team did a very good job to recover from a really bad qualifying. I had a good start and also a good race pace. We worked a lot on the race pace and I’m happy that I was able to score in the final two races of the season. It was important for us to finish ahead of Toro Rosso and I’m glad we managed to do that. The strategy was good and the car was as well - many thanks to the guys. After we have struggled a bit in the second half of the season, we have a lot to work on over the winter. I think it is good that we will have the same team with the same drivers again, but we want to become stronger.”
Sergio Pérez: 13th
Sauber C30-Ferrari (Chassis 03 / Ferrari 056)
Start on used soft tyres, after 20 laps change to used soft tyres and after 44 laps change to new medium compound tyres
“The team’s main target for today was to make sure we finished the season in seventh, and I am very happy that this was achieved, although I couldn’t contribute this time. As a team I think we are all already looking forward to the next season. After all that has happened I am happy with my rookie season. I have learned a lot and with this experience I want to do a good job in 2012. However, my race today wasn’t as good as I hoped it would be. The start was fine, but we had opted for wet conditions and the result was that the rear tyres tended to overheat. The car was quite difficult to drive and I’m sorry for the spin at half distance.”
Peter Sauber, Team Principal:
“It was an important result today. We were able to move up one position in the constructors’ championship compared to last year, which is good for the morale of the team. Kamui drove a fantastic race, making up positions in the early laps and then driving fast and consistently to take two championship points. Thanks to the whole team at the track, in Hinwil and to our partner Ferrari.”
Giampaolo Dall’Ara, Head of Track Engineering:
“Everything went according to plan today. Both drivers were able to make up positions in the early stages of the race. It was important that Kamui was immediately in front of Sébastien Buemi and Sergio directly behind him and in front of Jaime Alguersuari. This is want we wanted. After that it was a matter of controlling the race. Our strategy was to be ready for some rain, which was predicted but in the end didn’t happen. So for both drivers the tyre choice was soft, soft and medium. As it has been for most of the time this year, our pace was good in the race. Congratulations to the whole team.”
