Peter Sauber to Retire

[tristan1117]

http://www.planetf1.com/driver/18227/76 ... eed-Sauber

I know, Autosport or it didn't happen, but this seems fairly believable. Great to see a female team principal in Formula One - it's long overdue. Also, it looks like India's takeover of Formula One is almost complete with an Indian team, two Indian drivers and an Indian team principal! Why they all don't go to Force India is a mystery to me.

[Wizzie]

I for one salute the man for all he's done for F1 and wish him a happy retirement. I mean, he was the guy that brought Mercedes back to F1 and kickstarted the careers of many a young driver through the years.

[tzerof1]

I read something about this on the SPEED F1 website as well yesterday, just without the Monisha Kaltenborn part. But that could be interesting to have a female team principal in F1. On a tangentially related note, if Claire Williams at some point ended up as team principal of Williams, that would also be quite interesting.

It will be sad to see Peter retire, but it is something that's inevitable. I just hope that the spirit of the Sauber team remains the same

[mario]

I read something about this on the SPEED F1 website as well yesterday, just without the Monisha Kaltenborn part. But that could be interesting to have a female team principal in F1. On a tangentially related note, if Claire Williams at some point ended up as team principal of Williams, that would also be quite interesting.

It will be sad to see Peter retire, but it is something that's inevitable. I just hope that the spirit of the Sauber team remains the same

If, and it is a big if, it is true that Peter Sauber is stepping down, Monisha looks like a wise choice - she seems to be on good terms with the other team principals, plus she seem to be generally well regarded for the work that she has done so far for Sauber. If she does get the job, it would be merited indeed - she has worked her way up the ladder at Sauber, and although generally one of the quieter members of the F1 paddock, she represents a welcome change compared to some of the brasher team principals of other teams.
As others have mentioned, though, it isn't entirely surprising and in fact somewhat overdue - Peter Sauber was, it seems, hoping to retire and leave his team in the stewardship of BMW before BMW bailed out of the sport, so he chose to return and stabilise the team. If he is leaving the sport, I think that he can look back in satisfaction at what his team has achieved, and on the back of Perez's podium in Malaysia he can bow out on a positive note for the team and with his head held high.

[DanielPT]

It is inevitable. The way of life really, although I will always be sad to see Peter Sauber leave. He is there for the racing, the spirit of the sport remained within him. His gentlemanly ways along with the eye for talent brought many good people into the sport and really he give it all specially when he came back to save the jobs of his former employees after the B 'if we don't win right away we will leave immediately' MW rushed another of their departs. Being Sauber one of my favourite teams (the other is, obviously, Williams) I will thoroughly enjoy the F1 time before Peter really steps down.

[Row Man Gross-Gene]

It's great news if a woman is finally getting that type of position in F1. My only reservation is that (I think I read somewhere) Kaltenborn's a lawyer ; and that's a far scarier proposition.

[tristan1117]

It's great news if a woman is finally getting that type of position in F1. My only reservation is that (I think I read somewhere) Kaltenborn's a lawyer ; and that's a far scarier proposition.

IIRC, one of our glorious leaders is a lawyer so it can't be that bad.

[DanielPT]

It's great news if a woman is finally getting that type of position in F1. My only reservation is that (I think I read somewhere) Kaltenborn's a lawyer ; and that's a far scarier proposition.

IIRC, one of our glorious leaders is a lawyer so it can't be that bad.

Besides, it is more than proven that you don't need to be a lawyer in F1 to sue everyone else.

[East Londoner]

It will be sad to see Peter go, but at least his team will be in safe hands, unlike the situation back in the latter half of 2009. Hopefully his final season in charge will see him off on a high, if Perez can maintain his form so far, and if Kobayashi can rediscover the banzai spirit. I can see Sauber battling Williams for 6th in the constructors this year.

[solarcold]

Hats off to Herr Peter. His team is a really unique team with it's spirit and history, and I respect him a lot for how he does the thing.

[mario]

It will be sad to see Peter go, but at least his team will be in safe hands, unlike the situation back in the latter half of 2009. Hopefully his final season in charge will see him off on a high, if Perez can maintain his form so far, and if Kobayashi can rediscover the banzai spirit. I can see Sauber battling Williams for 6th in the constructors this year.

It is early days yet, but I wouldn't totally discount the possibility that Sauber could finish even higher than that given their current form - not to mention the relatively weak form of Mercedes at the moment, given that Mercedes is having a lot of difficulties with their tyres (they were overheating rapidly in Melbourne, whilst in Malaysia they went too far the other way and couldn't get their tyres to heat up in the wet conditions).

[Klon]

I really hope the team is renamed to Kaltenborn F1 - rarely has there been a more hilarious team name.

No, seriously - I wish Sauber the best of luck in the hopefully long remainder of his life and would like to congratulate him on his successful career.

[Phoenix]

My only reservation is that (I think I read somewhere) Kaltenborn's a lawyer ; and that's a far scarier proposition.

Dude, I have to say that was pretty mean. You're trying to correlate two things that have nothing in common.

On another note, while the loss of an established and revered personality is always sad, it's quite good to see a woman becoming F1 team principal for the first time, and it can be quite an appealing prospect for women following the sport too. Now we only need María de Villota to replaces Charles Pic at Marussia

[FullMetalJack]

Now we only need María de Villota to replaces Charles Pic at Marussia

NO! We'll lose all the Pic puns. I wouldn't know who to Pic to make puns for.

In all seriousness, it'll be a shame to see Peter retire. Hopefully Perez's 2nd place is a good enough sendoff.

[Row Man Gross-Gene]

My only reservation is that (I think I read somewhere) Kaltenborn's a lawyer ; and that's a far scarier proposition.

Dude, I have to say that was pretty mean. You're trying to correlate two things that have nothing in common.

On another note, while the loss of an established and revered personality is always sad, it's quite good to see a woman becoming F1 team principal for the first time, and it can be quite an appealing prospect for women following the sport too. Now we only need María de Villota to replaces Charles Pic at Marussia

Apologies, it was only a joke. That said, some of my best friends are lawyers. In fact I've been told by some of them that I am more lawyerly than they are!

[Stramala]

In a way it wasn't hard to see this coming; Kaltenborn's involvement publically with Sabuer has increased greatly since the BMW buyout, and Peter Sauber is getting to the age where he may consider retiring - especially considering he had reservations about buying his team back in the first place, partly relating to the workload which would be placed upon him by becoming the team owner/principal again.

[shinji]

May his retirement be embellished with the scented smoke of many cigars.

[Stramala]

Also, when I first saw the thread title in the forums I thought it said 'Petter Solberg'. I panicked like I have never panicked before in my entire life.

[JeremyMcClean]

Good for Kaltenborn, hopefully she will do great things with Sauber. What does this mean for the team name? Many congratulations to Saubers' career and I wish him the best for him and the team.

[AdrianSutil]

Good luck to Peter Sauber! One if the nicest blokes in F1.

Kindve fitting that Sauber are finally enjoying a massively competitive season at last. I reckon Perez's 2nd at Malaysia finally made his mind up. A good way to bow down.

[eurobrun]

Sauber has always been my favourite F1 team so this is unfortunate but I am confident his replacement can do a good job.

[FullMetalJack]

He gave Frentzen, Massa and Raikkonen their first chances in F1, and Kubica (sort of). Also, he possibly saved Heidfeld's career in 2001 after that miserable season at Prost.

Great stuff.

[Wizzie]

He gave Frentzen, Massa and Raikkonen their first chances in F1, and Kubica (sort of). Also, he possibly saved Heidfeld's career in 2001 after that miserable season at Prost.

Great stuff.

He also saved Kamui Kobayashi and Karl Wendlinger (Who knows what he could have achieved if it wasn't for that Monaco shunt) from the scrapheap and gave Sergio Perez his first shot as well.

[eurobrun]

He gave Frentzen, Massa and Raikkonen their first chances in F1, and Kubica (sort of). Also, he possibly saved Heidfeld's career in 2001 after that miserable season at Prost.

Great stuff.

Also the mid 2000s livery was imo the second best in the history of F1. (The Jordan 191 was the best)

[FullMetalJack]

He gave Frentzen, Massa and Raikkonen their first chances in F1, and Kubica (sort of). Also, he possibly saved Heidfeld's career in 2001 after that miserable season at Prost.

Great stuff.

Also the mid 2000s livery was imo the second best in the history of F1. (The Jordan 191 was the best)

Definitely one of the best liveries ever. Possibly the best livery of the 2000s, Spyker, Jordan, Williams BMW and the pre-2009 Toro Rosso being contenders.

[eurobrun]

He gave Frentzen, Massa and Raikkonen their first chances in F1, and Kubica (sort of). Also, he possibly saved Heidfeld's career in 2001 after that miserable season at Prost.

Great stuff.

Also the mid 2000s livery was imo the second best in the history of F1. (The Jordan 191 was the best)

Definitely one of the best liveries ever. Possibly the best livery of the 2000s, Spyker, Jordan, Williams BMW and the pre-2009 Toro Rosso being contenders.

I wish another team would do something similar to the Joraan nosecone art.

[East Londoner]

BUMP

Looks like old Peter is preparing his team for the future. I see this as a smart move, Monisha is a safe pair of hands for the team.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/99641

[pasta_maldonado]

BUMP

Looks like old Peter is preparing his team for the future. I see this as a smart move, Monisha is a safe pair of hands for the team.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/99641

It is a sad time, as one one era of F1 owners is coming to a close (Eddie Jordan, 2004, Peter Sauber noe, and I can see good ol' Frank stepping down in a few years time)

[Ferrim]

Well, as I understand it the situation isn't that different. Sauber's role with the team will diminish in the same way that Williams' has already done these last few years. For now both of them remain the owners, as they hold >50% of shares, but they are in the process of selling and taking a more ceremonial role.

[Stramala]

I have my doubts about this change. To my mind she's the exact opposite of Niki Lauda at Jaguar. Niki knew the sport incredibly well but was about as much use from a business perspective at running a team as a glass hammer. Somehow I always get the impression of the opposite problem from MK, I have my doubts as to how she'd cope if the team went balls-up from a purely sporting perspective.

[IdeFan]

Hasn't she been basically running the team for the past two years (since BMW left) anyway? If so then she seems to be doing a pretty good job.