Skip to content

Sauber secure 2010 spot

Image: Sauber: On the grid

BMW Sauber has been granted the 13th entry on the Formula One grid for the 2010 World Championships.

FIA announce Toyota replacement

BMW Sauber has been granted the 13th entry on the Formula One grid for the 2010 World Championships. The FIA made the decision on Thursday following Peter Sauber's recent deal with BMW to take over the team. After the German car manufacturing giant announced their withdrawal from F1 in the summer, they initially signed a contract with Qadbak Investments Ltd. However, that was shelved in favour of the team returning to the hands of Swiss 66-year-old Sauber, who ran his own marque for 13 years prior to selling 80 percent of his company to BMW in 2005. With the team now in safe hands, although Sauber is in the process of trimming the workforce down to 250 employees from 388 as per the takeover agreement, the FIA have moved swiftly to grant them their entry for next season. A statement read: "The FIA has written to inform BMW Sauber AG that their application for an entry in the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship has been successful. "Subject to their signing the Concorde Agreement, BMW Sauber will be awarded the 13th entry in the championship, taking the place of the departing Toyota team. "The FIA has worked closely with the commercial rights holder (Bernie Ecclestone) and the teams involved over recent weeks and is grateful for their support in achieving the best outcome for the sport."