Sauber Needs Finance to Develop F1 Car

Despite their impressive pace during the winter tests this year, BMW Sauber-Ferrari are yet to score a point in the 2010 Formula One Championship, being the only team (besides the newly-entrants) that failed to make the scoreboard in each of the first 4 races of the new season. And, according to Spanish racer Pedro de la Rosa, the situation will certainly not get better in the weeks to come.

While most of the teams are waiting forward to the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix to debut brand new aerodynamic features aimed at improving lap times, Sauber has completely different prospects. Due to their unstable financial situation, the Swiss team has been unable to find the necessary funds to speed up development work on the F1.09, which is why nobody expects a big step forward in Barcelona.

“With each day it is more difficult to find backers for 2010, but without finances a normal development of the car is hardly possible,” admitted Pedro de la Rosa in a recent interview with Swiss newspaper Blick.

Additionally, he revealed that the 2010 challenger has several aerodynamic flaws that need to be taken care of, in addition to the engine problems experienced with Ferrari's 2.4 litre V8s.

“There have been too many engine problems, and at the rear of the car something is not right – it is too unstable. We simply must believe in our abilities and those of our new technical boss James Key. And also that luck might be with us sometimes as well,” added the Spanish veteran.

Recent rumors have suggested that Peter Sauber is even considering replacing De la Rosa with a pay-driver for the rest of the 2010 season, in order to get the finance to develop the car. GP2's Luca Filippi was the name that made the headlines on the matter in recent weeks, although no official confirmation of some discussions was ever released by Sauber.