Motorsport Week continues its team-by-team mid-season reviews and today we turn our attention to the much improved Sauber.
Sauber spent much of 2017 marooned at the back of the grid but regarded 2018 as an opportunity to re-join the midfield, with the mid-2016 takeover finally bearing fruit, aided by closer alignment with Ferrari, the tutelage of the sage Frederic Vasseur, and the driving talents of Charles Leclerc. Sauber’s C37 appeared so-so pre-season, and during the early races, but the philosophy of making regular minor updates, as opposed to major overhauls, has paid dividends. The C37 is also a well-balanced machine, responds well to set-up changes, while the team itself has profited from Ferrari’s climb to the front of the power battle. But to place the improvements on just the car and engine would be a disservice to the remainder of the team, under the steerage of Vasseur. Pit stop times and consistency have rapidly improved (Silverstone aside), strategic decisions in the ever-close midfield have been executed well, while there is an overall rejuvenated feel about the operation. Jorg Zander was let go and the capable Simone Resta hired in place – and he has been assigned to next year’s project, an astute call by Vasseur. Sauber has already achieved its goal in 2018 and reinstated an air of respectability – each step will now be tougher, but everything is in place to suggest the team is on the rise once more.
Just how would the highly-rated Leclerc adapt to F1? Those drivers who have taken junior divisions by storm sometimes thrive, sometimes struggle. The early trio of events were a challenge as Leclerc became accustomed to the complex nuances of the championship, with more than one error and an acceptance that he had to delegate certain elements to the team. But since a set-up change, and approach, in Azerbaijan, the amiable youngster has thrived – and it is his consistency that has been hugely impressive. Some young hot shots are peaky, providing glimpses of potential, but Leclerc has been a regular midfielder this year, taking a string of Q2 appearances and converting a trio of them into Q3 berths. That he retains an admirable sense of humility and capacity to recognise he still has to improve – and that he is in effect the same person he was in junior formula – is a credit to his upbringing, and such an approach will aid in future environments, or if he encounters setbacks. The final two pre-summer events were messier, amid offs in the German rain and a misguided conservative approach during Hungarian qualifying, but that is the purpose of a rookie season with a squad such as Sauber: to learn. And he is learning very quickly.
Qualifying. Qualifying. Qualifying. That has been Marcus Ericsson’s bête noir for much of the 2018 campaign. Ericsson was quietly impressive against the highly-rated Felipe Nasr and Pascal Wehrlein but has faced a different challenge against the hurricane-force of Leclerc. Ericsson expectedly held the upper hand early but once Leclerc got a grip on Formula 1 it has been the Monegasque who has thrived. Between China and Germany Ericsson on average started five positions behind his team-mate, effectively leaving him on the back foot in the very competitive midfield, and sometimes forced to adopt alternative strategies on account of his uphill task. His race pace is far stronger than his one-lap ability and his knack of preserving Pirelli’s delicate rubber is an oft-unheralded trait, one that assisted him in ending his lengthy points drought this year. There have been a few low moments, such as the DRS-instigated off at Silverstone, but Ericsson is continuing to develop as a driver – though as he now approaches the 100 GP mark that is of little surprise! Getting on top of the softer tyres on low fuel, as the track and pace ramps up on a Saturday afternoon, has to be his biggest target area across the next events.
Tomorrow we'll bring you our Toro Rosso mid-season review and over the next two weeks we'll gradually work our way through the entire field.
Reviews:
Mid-season review: Williams falls to last
Mid-season review: Revitalised Sauber back in the groove
Mid-season review: Patchy STR making gains