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In the fifth installment of our series, we focus on a team whose longevity is impressive given its resources. Peter founded Sauber in 1993 after a (ultimately glorious) period in endurance racing.
From endurance racing to the F1 starting grid
Peter Sauber cut his teeth in the 1970s as a talented Swiss engineer, first making a name for himself in endurance racing before moving into Formula 1. In 1977, he entered the C5 under the famous Group C rules, a period often considered the golden age of sports car racing. The partnership with BMW proved difficult: in five appearances, the team suffered four retirements and achieved only a ninth place finish in 1983, its last year with the German brand. From 1984 onwards, the C8s were equipped with Mercedes V8 engines, but the results were just as disappointing and the team failed to finish the legendary Le Mans race, except in the years when it did not participate (1985 and 1988). The breakthrough finally came in 1989, when the C9s dominated Le Mans, achieving a one-two finish and giving Sauber the victory that had eluded him. The Swiss team's last appearance at Le Mans was in 1991, with a young Michael Schumacher at the wheel, who never saw the checkered flag. The 1989 and 1990 World Sportscar Championship titles closed the chapter on Sauber's endurance saga and paved the way for its move into Formula 1.
Mercedes supports Sauber in F1, then withdraws
When the Hinwil team entered the premier class, it continued the naming tradition: the C11s gave way to the C12s in 1993, still powered by Mercedes engines, but now badged Sauber. The first season was respectable: JJ Lettho (Finland) and Karl Wendlinger (Austria) each achieved a fourth place, helping Sauber finish seventh in the constructors' standings with twelve points. A similar performance followed in 1994, now with the experienced Heinz-Harald Frentzen.
After that season, Mercedes turned to McLaren, marking the beginning of a partnership that would dominate the sport for years to come. Sauber closed one chapter and embarked on a long and winding journey.
1995-2005: Red Bull, Petronas, Ferrari – a decade of change
After two entirely black seasons, Sauber's cars underwent a visual overhaul. Red Bull, already a shareholder in F1, decked out the 1995 C14 in its colors, while Malaysian oil company Petronas then added its own touch to what became an iconic color scheme.
The 1995 season was marked by progress: after scoring a few points, Heinz-Harald Frentzen clinched Sauber's first podium finish in F1 with a third place at Monza, powered by a Ford engine – the only year Ford supplied the team. The year 1996 was more mixed, but Johnny Herbert secured a podium finish in the chaotic Monaco Grand Prix. This season also marked the beginning of a long-term partnership with Ferrari, renamed Petronas, which would last until 2005. No victories were achieved during this period, but third places for Herbert (Hungary 1997) and Jean Alesi (Spain 1998) remained the team's best results. A renaissance occurred in 2001 when Nick Heidfeld secured a podium finish in Brazil and the young Kimi Räikkönen began to make a name for himself. Sauber finished fourth in the constructors' championship, its best ranking under its own name. The last Sauber-Red Bull-Petronas podium was won by Frentzen in Indianapolis in 2003, and three years later, the team entered its most successful period.
2006-2009: The return of BMW
BMW's previous foray with Williams (2000-2005) had not yielded much, but a new chapter began when the German manufacturer took control of Sauber, appointing Mario Theissen to head the program while retaining the Sauber name. The 2006 grid featured six manufacturers—Ferrari, McLaren-Mercedes, Renault, Toyota, Honda, and BMW—making this partnership very promising. The first season was a learning curve. Jacques Villeneuve left the team after the German Grand Prix, while Nick Heidfeld put in some solid performances. The arrival of Polish rookie Robert Kubica proved decisive. In 2007, the team scored a single podium finish (Heidfeld, third in Hungary) before Kubica's accident in Canada opened the door for Sebastian Vettel, who scored his first point in Indianapolis. 2008 was the standout year: Kubica took pole position in Bahrain and won the Canadian Grand Prix, giving Sauber its first victory and briefly taking the lead in the drivers' championship. The team also finished third in the constructors' standings, its best result to date. Financial pressures linked to regulatory changes in 2009 forced BMW to withdraw, leaving Sauber to fend for itself once again, although the BMW name remained until 2010.
2010-2017: Return to independence, modest fortunes
Sauber's return to independence yielded only a few highlights in 2010 and 2011. The tide turned in 2012 when Mexican driver Sergio Pérez impressed at the wheel of a surprisingly competitive Sauber, scoring three podium finishes and narrowly missing out on victory in Malaysia after a fierce duel with Fernando Alonso.
When the famous green clover reappeared on the Formula 1 starting grid, it was more than just a nostalgic nod to Sauber's past: it marked the latest chapter in a saga of alliances between manufacturers that have repeatedly reshaped the Swiss team's destiny.
The team reached its peak in 2012, a season in which it accumulated 126 points, a result that eclipsed the combined total of the following four years (2014-2017) by almost 30%. That year, it secured a podium finish in Canada (third) and narrowly missed out on victory at Monza (second), two results achieved while Ferrari dominated the standings. Local hero Kamui Kobayashi also secured his only podium finish, coming third in Japan. But despite this success, momentum stalled and Sauber soon found itself mired in a financial crisis that demanded a savior.
That's when Alfa Romeo entered the picture. From 2018 to 2023, the Italian brand took on the role of main sponsor and operator, reviving the cloverleaf brand without assuming the full cost of a factory program. This partnership gave birth to the C37, the 37th chassis in the team's lineage, and provided young Charles Leclerc with a platform to extract maximum performance from a car that was, by all accounts, modest. Marcus Ericsson survived a spectacular crash during testing at Monza unscathed, while veteran Kimi Räikkönen, paired with Antonio Giovinazzi, kept the team competitive despite the return of Ferrari engines, which, while reliable, did not translate into podium finishes. Räikkönen came closest to the podium in Brazil in 2019, where he finished fourth. Räikkönen's departure in 2020, followed by his retirement after the finale in Abu Dhabi, left a void that was partially filled by Valtteri Bottas and rookie Guanyu Zhou. Bottas' best result for Alfa Romeo was fifth place at Imola, and Zhou's presence brought a new perspective, but the 2023 season has been designated as the last year for the Italian brand before another corporate flag is raised.
That flag now belongs to Audi. Long famous for its dominance in endurance racing, particularly at Le Mans, where it has competed against manufacturers such as Peugeot, Porsche, and Toyota, Audi flirted with an entry into Hypercar LMDh this season before turning its attention to Formula 1. Although the brand has never competed in F1 under its current name, its predecessor Auto Union won eight victories in the 1930s with the iconic Type A to D. This new entry promises to rewrite Sauber's history once again, combining the team's heritage of durable chassis with Audi's cutting-edge technology.
As the paddock prepares for the next era, the question remains: will Audi's four rings ambition enable Sauber to regain its former glory, or will it merely add another chapter to a history marked by the vagaries of manufacturer partnerships? Only next season will tell.
