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BMW Confirms Ferrari Deal for Sauber

BMW Sauber's motorsport director Mario Theissen today confirmed that Ferrari will become engine partners with the newly saved team at Hinwil in 2010. BMW already announced it will withdraw from Formula One at the end of 2009, but their share in the Swiss team was recently bought by the Qadbak investment group.

The company, who reportedly represents the interests of several families in both Switzerland and the Middle East, bought 80 percent of the Hinwil based outfit and is now waiting for the FIA go-ahead to prepare for next season. The ruling body recently confirmed the 13th entry for the 2010 F1 Championship – the reincarnated Lotus F1 Team – but it is believed the Swiss team will also be accepted for the upcoming season as a 14th entry.

Until then, the team made all the necessary steps to prove the FIA that they are ready to tackle the 2010 season, with Ferrari being their new engine partners.

It (the new team) will run a Ferrari power-train,” confirmed Theissen in Singapore. In addition, the German official left the door open for a potential continuance of his team principal role for the Swiss team, as he admitted his plans for the future are not bounded to any project.

My personal future is fully open, and I will keep it open until the end of the season. It would not be helpful to mix up my own situation with all the efforts to secure the future of the team. And I am not concerned that there will be (too little) time later this year. The team is really positive. We have a good upgrade for the car here, and we want to achieve something in the final four races,” added Theissen.
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