Sauber stalwart Marcus Ericsson has emphasised that the team needs to shed its underdog mindset in Formula 1 and approach each Grand Prix with the aim of scoring points.
Sauber struggled through the first years of the hybrid era amid chassis and engine weaknesses that were accentuated by financial problems, prior to a mid-2016 takeover.
Its on-track struggles continued through last year as the team, under newly-installed boss Frederic Vasseur, set about implementing a long-term recovery plan – which included obtaining Alfa Romeo as a title sponsor – the results of which have begun to show fruition.
Ericsson ended a personal 50-race points drought in Bahrain by taking ninth, while Charles Leclerc followed up sixth in Azerbaijan with 10th in Spain, ensuring Sauber has scored in half of this year’s races.
Ericsson only narrowly missed out on adding to the tally in Monaco as he classified in 11th position, just a second behind Carlos Sainz Jr.
Sauber has already scored 11 points in 2018 – exceeding its combined 2016/17 total – and holds ninth place in the Constructors’ Championship.
Ericsson says the improved performances this year has altered his mindset approaching each event and has implored his Sauber team to do likewise.
“In Barcelona everyone was saying ‘oh this track shouldn’t suit us’ and within the team everyone was thinking ‘yeah it’s going to be tough’,” he explained.
“And I said ‘look guys we cannot go into the weekend thinking that, I think we can be here and mix it up’, that was my feeling going to Barcelona.
“Then coming [to Monaco] before the weekend started, we knew this track could be difficult for us but I said we should be in the mix, we’re in the midfield now, we score points on a quite regular basis.
“We need to have that mindset as well as if we have the mindset of ‘oh this will be a difficult track for us’, it doesn’t work like that.
“We need to go into the weekend with confidence that we can be in the fight and that’s how we should go forwards into every weekend.
“I will go into every weekend now and have the aim to score points and get to Q2 and that’s how we need to work as a team I think.”
Sauber confirmed earlier in the week that Simone Resta will join the team as its new Technical Director at the start of July.
Resta has been with Ferrari since 2001, occupying various R&D and technical management positions, most recently Head of Project Vehicle Co-Ordination – effectively Chief Designer.
