Sauber signs Nasr for 2015 season

Yesterday, it was announced by the Sauber Formula 1 team has signed Williams test driver Felipe Nasr to a race deal for the 2015 season.

Nasr who sits second in the GP2 standings with one round remaining, has taken part in four free practice sessions for Williams so far this year, including last weekend at Austin.
Nasr’s signing to race alongside ex-Caterham driver Marcus Ericsson means that both of Sauber’s 2014 drivers – Adrian Sutil and Esteban Gutierrez – will be replaced next season.

Sutil had regularly stated to the media that he has a contract in place for 2015 and, when asked about his future at Austin last Thursday, he said he expected it to be with Sauber. Sutil stated the following in Austin:-

For me, a change [of team] now is not necessary, I don’t want it. I will stay here, I have committed to that team and I look forward to making it better. I still have some work to do here and I look forward to that a lot.'

It is clear that Sutil wanted to stay at Sauber and use his experience in Formula One to help out Sauber get back to the midfield for next season. However despite his best intentions, Sutil has not been retained by Sauber for next season and it would seem that his future in Formula One is very shaky indeed with the driver market now starting to announce the final few seats for the 2015 season.

I believe that Sutil will have no choice but to leave the sport now and may have to look into other options that might be open to him in motorsport unless he can find himself another drive in the sport either racing or in a development role with a team on the grid.

In an interview with the media yesterday, Sauber Team Principal Monisha Kaltenborn said the following about signing Nasr for next season:-

'We have been following Felipe’s career path for some time now. He fully deserves his position in Formula 1 having had a very successful career in the junior categories.
'We are happy that he will be driving for our team next year. This means that Brazil will have one more young and talented driver in the sport.'

In my perspective, Kaltenborn is happy to have signed Nasr for 2015 and believes that it is the right choice for the Sauber team moving forward to next year. Nasr is a young and talented driver who has impressed along the way during his career and has already achieved some success as well which has helped him get into the Williams team this season.

It is clear that she believes from following his career in the junior formulae and also his performances with the Williams team this season that he is a talented driver and has the potential to improve as a driver and a racing talent and achieve great things within the sport along the way.

Nasr, who has British Formula 3 and Formula BMW Europe titles to his name, said in his interview yesterday that he hopes to follow in the footsteps of other top drivers to have made their F1 debut with the Swiss team. Nasr stated the following:-

'This is an unforgettable moment that I owe to all of those who have supported me. Today the dream has come true. Sauber was responsible for the arrival in F1 of great names such Felipe Massa, Kimi Raikkonen, Robert Kubica and Sebastian Vettel.

'I am proud now to also be part of this racing family. I had a wonderful year at Williams, where I learned a lot and prepared myself to be a race driver in Formula 1.'

As Nasr points out, this will be a moment that he will never forget and it is a result of all his hard work and determination throughout his career in motorsport. It is clear that Nasr has a lot of people to thank and I am sure this is the best present that he could ever give his supporters and fans. And for me, he should be delighted to have secured the Sauber drive for next season and the chance to show what he can do in the sport in a full season as a racing driver after impressing many people this season already with the Williams team.

It is clear for all to see that Nasr is extremely happy to be given his first chance in Formula One by the Sauber team and is proud to be a member of the team next season. For him to publically thank the Williams for this season is really nice to see and without these opportunities that the team have given to him, he wouldn't be in the position he is in now and wouldn't have been given this chance by the Sauber team.

Overall, Nasr is correct to say that Sauber have helped young drivers such as Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez extract their potential and move on into a more competitive drive and he is hoping that he can do so the same and reward Sauber with some great results to repay the faith and trust they have emplaced in him.

And from watching Nasr a few times in the junior formulae this season and also his performances with the Williams team, I believe that Nasr is a driver with a lot of potential and I look forward to seeing him race in Formula One next season.

Sarah Jones