Recruitment plan at Sauber

If we often talk about a first assessment after the first 100 days in a position, Frédéric Vasseur is approaching the 50-day mark. It’s therefore a bit early to make a first assessment, but it allows time for a first overview, which the leader shared with us exclusively in the Spa-Francorchamps paddock: « It’s a bit short to draw a first assessment, but I’m not surprised by the sporting situation. We’re at the back of the grid, but I knew that beforehand. »

The Frenchman quickly set to work on his first mission, which was the essential issue of the engine. Within two weeks, he terminated the earlier season agreement with Honda to extend the collaboration with Ferrari, which has been ongoing for many years: « The realization of the agreement with Ferrari is a crucial step in the team’s development as it provides us with a medium-term development path. »

Thus, the question of the engine is central since it influences the car’s wheelbase and the distribution of masses. It’s not a figure of speech to say that it is truly the backbone of the car. Therefore, as long as this question was not addressed, the development of next year’s car could not be furthered.

But to ensure development, the human question is essential, and it’s a vast project that the leader has set up. Indeed, Sauber still benefits from excellent infrastructure since the acquisition by BMW: “The infrastructure is excellent. We most certainly have one of the best wind tunnels in the field. We have real assets but also real weaknesses,” he commented.

One of the issues is the time needed to bring in new recruits due to the contracts that bind engineers to their current employer: « It takes time because recruiting in F1, with contracts similar to those for soccer players, is quite complicated and lengthy. So, one must tackle the task and not expect results to appear by next week. »

The number necessarily carries weight in F1, and the financial difficulties of the past few years have not helped in retaining many employees: « In the aerodynamics department, we must be at 50% of the size of Force India’s. The people we have are just as competent as others, but we need to catch up in terms of volume. »

The unique geographical location of the team, at the heart of Switzerland, is both an advantage and a disadvantage since it may be difficult to attract engineers based in Great Britain. However, once they arrive in Switzerland, they are less likely to leave at the first competitive offer. The end of Porsche’s LMP1 program, located near Hinwil, thus presents a real opportunity for the Swiss team.

Frédéric Vasseur also knows that he can count on his shareholders, Longbow Finance, to find the necessary funding to rebuild the team and support the policy. With a man who has won in every category he has gone through, one can say that the team is in experienced hands that are just waiting to be fully utilized.

From our special correspondent at Spa-Francorchamps