Sauber confident on successful start to 2012

With 12 days of testing completed by Sauber, all eyes are now strongly focused on the season-opening Australian Grand Prix which takes place next weekend on the Albert Park circuit. Last year Sauber had a tough start to the season, with both cars being disqualified after initially finishing the race 7th and 8th.

This season, the general belief within the team is that regular points finishes throughout the course of the year is a realistic aim. Japanese driver Kamui Kobayashi is very confident that his third season in Formula 1 will be successful and that the new C31 will provide the team with many top 10 finishes.

“I am very much looking forward to what will be my third season in Formula One, and at the same time my third season with the Sauber F1 Team.” Explained the sole Japanese driver in F1, “We had promising pre-season testing with the C31 and the car feels pretty good. This, together with the experience I gained last year, makes me a lot more confident now. For me the main target is that we are more consistent this year. In 2010 we had a difficult first part of the season, and only recovered in the second half. In 2011 it was vice versa - we had a great start but struggled later in the season. If we can consistently display our best potential, we could score consistently.”

Sergio Perez, who began his Formula 1 career last season with a stunning one-pit-stop race in Australia, is exceedingly eager to jump back in the car and believes that his debut season in F1 last year has given him the confidence to excel in 2012.

“I just can’t wait to go racing again. My feelings ahead of this season are quite different to last year, when everything was entirely new to me.” Explained Perez, “Now, with one season in Formula One under my belt, I feel physically and mentally capable of doing the job. One year of experience isn’t that much, but even this will allow me to focus more on performance than I was able to last year. I got used to a variety of circumstances which come along when you are a Formula One driver. My target for 2012 is to make the most of the car in every given situation and to fully establish myself in Formula One.”

In what will be Sauber’s 20th season in Formula 1, team principal and founder Peter Sauber is also confident on regular points in 2012.

“The winter tests left the impression that the competition could be tighter than ever before.” Said Peter Sauber, “Apparently the mid-field teams have reduced the gap to the top teams. I am really pleased with the progress we made during testing and I think we are well prepared.”

With the mid-field teams set to be very close in 2012, Sauber could once again be locked in an intense season-long battle with the likes of Toro Rosso, Force India and even Caterham in 2012.