Sauber team sold and Peter can retire at last

[John S]

Swiss firm Longbow Finance S.A to acquire all shares in Sauber team.

Peter can put his feet up but Monisha stays in place.

Wonder how much - if anything - Peter got for it all?    

http://en.f1i.com/news/64502-saubers-f1-future-secure-as-investment-materialises.html

[Jericoke]

I do hope this means good things for the team.

It's been rough watching the 'cost cutting' measures force the smaller teams to the back of the grid.

[Scott]

As much as I'm pleased that a Swiss team has come to the table, financial services companies can be fly by night and may not exist beyond the next big market turndown.  As well, they tend to be extremely greedy and may well do whatever they can to strip the company of profits and assets.

No, I'm not pleased.  Their website is Mickey Mouse and I imagine their approach will be as well.  I doubt Sauber will be on the grid next year unless a bank or manufacturer steps in.

[cosworth151]

I'm afraid I have to agree with Scott on this one. I really hope Sauber can survive but I think this makes it even less likely.

[F1fanaticBD]

I think they are trying to sell the team, and most likely dump it into someone else, with the possibility of being those teams lost in the memories. It hurts, because over the years I loved this team, cheered for them, bear their agony, and celebrated their triumphs. I have the up most respect for Peter, and had hoped his name will remain their for sometime. I am feeling exactly the same when I heard Minardi will be no more. In that Torro Rosso Minardi is still there, I really hope Sauber remains the same.

[Irisado]

Minardi isn't really still there, sadly.  I still miss my favourite team.  Toro Rosso is nothing by a pale shadow, a marketing exercise used by Marko to develop drivers for Red Bull.  There's no soul to that team at all.  It's just the Red Bull B Team.

As for Sauber, I have concerns about this deal.  It seems rather similar to the Genii Capital deal when Renault sold out the first time, and we all know what happened there in the end.  I hope that Sauber does continue, as they're one of the last privateers now, but I want to see exactly how things develop next year before I draw any firm conclusions about their long-term future.

[F1fanaticBD]

In a sense the team is not Minardi definitely, but at least the facility is still there, people with passion for Motorsports still goes to that place to make a car go faster. For me in this era of privateer extinction, that is the Minardi living in Torro Rosso. But yeah regarding how team acts, how the operations are being conducted, surely there is nothing of the Minardi present in Torro Rosso, and to be honest there were never a possibility of being so.
Being a Minardi enthusiast, I would like to see a sea in a rain-drop, because in that way  it soothes my mind that Minardi is still there.

[Jericoke]

As much as I'm pleased that a Swiss team has come to the table, financial services companies can be fly by night and may not exist beyond the next big market turndown.  As well, they tend to be extremely greedy and may well do whatever they can to strip the company of profits and assets.

No, I'm not pleased.  Their website is Mickey Mouse and I imagine their approach will be as well.  I doubt Sauber will be on the grid next year unless a bank or manufacturer steps in.

I suspect there may be a different ulterior motive.  With rumours of Apple (or some other 'big company') becoming involved with the sport, there may be considerable value in owning a piece of F1 during the transition.

Rather than strip the company down, they may be looking to flip it instead.

[Scott]

I guess that's right.  I heard other reports that Sauber was essentially being parked for a season or two until it can be unloaded.  I don't view that as very positive either.

[Steve A.]

I'm glad Peter can retire, it's a shame it's a season where they are struggling and he can't go out on a high. Fingers crossed the team survives, even if the name does not.