Sauber not dismissing Mexican rumours

Peter Sauber on Friday refused to dismiss rumours linking his Swiss team with a major investment from Mexico.

Whilst working hard on securing a healthy budget for 2011, the formerly BMW-owned team has been running a mainly blank livery this season.

But paddock rumours have hinted at talks with Carlos Slim, the Mexican billionaire whose Telmex company already sponsors Sergio Perez in GP2.

And already with a Sauber contract is the Mexican teenage GP3 driver Esteban Gutierrez.

Asked about the Mexican link, Sauber said: "The team is attractive and has potential because it has an excellent infrastructure, absolutely comparable to that of the top teams.

"The fact that we cannot really rival the top teams is to do with our financial situation and head count. But the conditions are there," he told F1’s official website.

Other than that, the Swiss insisted he doesn’t "comment on rumours".

But he also revealed that Sauber’s young driver Gutierrez is closely linked with Slim.

"This is the reason why you will find Carlos Slim a bit more often in our hospitality than at those of other teams, but it is also no secret that Carlos Slim is a much-welcomed guest at all the other teams as well," Sauber insisted.