Is Sauber closing in on a buy out?

[WhiteBlue]

This little piece of news got me thinking:

Sauber Applies To Drop ‘BMW’ From Official Name

According to Germany's motorsport-total.com, the F1 Commission met on Monday ahead of a Geneva meeting of the World Motor Sport Council on Wednesday.

Sauber reportedly lodged a request with F1 Commission members - among them key stakeholders including FOM, fellow teams, promoters and sponsors - for a name change.

The next step is the approval of F1's governing body.

Sauber have no incentive to activate an official name change unless they have finally found their title sponsor or title investor. A name change costs tons of money and it costs serious goodwill with the competitors who all must agree to the change. Such a thing is only done when you are sure you can swing the deal. So who is going to run Sauber in the near future? If it is ART we can almost conclude that the 13th F1 slot will be given to Epsilon Euskadi. That would make a lot of sense from a political point of view.

[xpensive]

...
Sauber have no incentive to activate an official name change unless they have finally found their title sponsor or title investor.
...

But surely BMW does, why would the wish to have their name to an activity they have no part of, a most uncompetitive activity involving Ferrari at that?

[mx_tifoso]

Because they're not paying for the name in the title? Free advertising in a series that you once competed in shouldn't hurt, even if the team is a back-marker that DNF's on an all to regular basis.

[xpensive]

I doubt it, having its name on an embarrasing activity is hardly BMW's bag, is it now WB?

[marcush.]

oh it was written in big letters on their 2009 bag ,maybe they have gotten used to it in F1..

could not resist.

[mep]

A name change costs tons of money and it costs serious goodwill with the competitors who all must agree to the change.

Why is it so expensive to change a name?
Its just a few letters, some teams change their name every year.
BMW Sauber Ferrari, this is the worst name a team can have.
Such a bullshit.
I heard that there are some issues with the money from last year they get but it should be possible to solve that.
Just go to the responsible person tell them that you change the name and still want the money.

[FW17]

Maybe Parris Mullins finally found something to invest in......

[WhiteBlue]

Maybe Parris Mullins finally found something to invest in......

Youtube is a brand that may want to do global advertising. There have also been rumors that Mastercard is making a fresh start back into F1. What could be better than an empty car for such campaigns.

[Chaparral]

Maybe Parris Mullins finally found something to invest in......

Or maybe Paris Hilton WF1

[wesley123]

Maybe Parris Mullins finally found something to invest in......

Youtube is a brand that may want to do global advertising. There have also been rumors that Mastercard is making a fresh start back into F1. What could be better than an empty car for such campaigns.

Leaing the car empty is the best thing sauber could do,itis anway to show to the possible investors; 'ey invest in us, our car is empty' getting yourname on a blank car is better then on a car already filled, the brand isbetter seen as it is the only brand on the car for example.

[ESPImperium]

It costs only €35,000 to change a name at the start of a season, but more mid season as it needs to be rattified by all teams, FOM and the FIA, and this is where the costs lie then.

It would make sence for BMW to do it at the end of the season, but if there is a buy-out on the way, id say it would be ART as this way they would be able to get in on the Ferarri power they want, and have stat of the art facilities, and a good technical team to boot. And with them already junking the C29 for the car next year, all they need is investment.

It was rumored that ART could have gone for Toro Rosso, but they dont have the facilities at Faenza that Hinwi has, and this is where the majority of investment would be short-term. But with Sauber, ART will have all the facilities ready from day one, and all the team needs is just basic investment, there-for the logical choice for an ART takeover.

This way we would also get to see the second best team for the 13th team on paper in Epsilion, who have the facilities and technical know how as well to be able to compete in F1.

It would make sence for ART to take over Sauber ASAP, rename it ART Sauber for the remainder of the season, as one of the "title names" needs to remain on the construstors entry as per the rules, then ditch De La Rosa for the rest of the season as a race driver, bring in Jules Bianchi from GP2 and go from there.

This story is developing, and will not be over soon, id probably say it will be finished for the start of the Hungarian GP, after the 4 week summer break.

[GTO]

To me the Sauber team is a little perplexing. Prior to the BMW takeover, they were a well sponsored private team. However, now they have very boring paint scheme with no visible sponsors except for a C1 logo on the engine cover. Btw, does anyone know what that logo represents?

When BMW bought the team from Sauber, they went gung ho sinking excessive amounts of ca$h to build it up c/w sponsors. At that time I thought it was strange that they kept the Sauber name in their team name. When they sold it back to Sauber late in 2009, it was again strange that this time they left BMW in their team name.

Like Brawn last year, I can't quite understand why they would not have secured some short term sponsors by mid season & show some progress. It's better than running a bland, non sponsored car. Are they teams demanding too much $$$ from potential clients?

[gridwalker]

C1 is essentially a Sauber supporter's club.

I missed FP 1 & 2 : has the burger king logo vanished?

[marcush.]

I´d say Sauber is showing strong signs of recovering from the disaster that was left over by BMW...so without a doubt they do something right there.

[godlameroso]

Do teams make money from getting points? If this trend keeps going until the end of the season Sauber will have more points this season than last, even if they were to keep the old point's system. I think the car looks better without a whole bunch of sponsors, I for one like the "clean" look. If the team does get bought out, it would certainly make their life easier, and since their technical center is already top notch; the extra cash would allow them to develop the car more efficiently.

Not to mention that, personally, their new technical director is working wonders for them. I wonder what kind of car they will design for next year.

A bit off topic, why can't Sauber work with a simulation developer kind of like Williams with iRacing. I'm sure the feedback they get isn't one way, I think we are starting to see a bigger significance with simulators than we have in the past especially with the limited testing available. A strong partnership would only improve their simulation technology, and as a result, would at the very least waste less time having to set up the car.