Sauber retain Kobayashi and Perez

Editor

Sauber have confirmed that both Kamui Kobayashi and Sergio Perez will remain with the team for next year’s Championship…

Sauber have confirmed that both Kamui Kobayashi and Sergio Perez will remain with the team for next year’s Championship.

Kobayashi, who joined Sauber at the 2010 F1 season, has impressed his team bosses both on and off the track, having taken the role of team leader this season.

“We are very pleased with our drivers. Kamui has grown into his role extremely well this year,” said team boss Peter Sauber.

“Though it is only his second full Formula 1 season, he is already taking on the responsibilities that naturally fall to the more experienced driver in the team.

“We are delighted with him at both a sporting and a personal level. We had an option of working with him in 2012 and there was never any doubt that we would take it.

As for Perez, Sauber reckons the rookie driver has already outperformed all expectations.

“Sergio has achieved more than one could expect from a rookie. From the very first race he proved that he is capable of driving not only fast but consistently as well. And after the accident in Monaco he demonstrated that he can handle difficult situations too.

“From the outset we had already signed a contract with Sergio that went beyond 2011. With a rookie that always entails a certain risk, of course, but clearly it has paid off.”

Kobayashi thanked Sauber “putting their faith in me and the guys for all their work” while Perez added that he welcomes the “continuity and this way I can intensively prepare with my race engineer for what will be my second Formula 1 season.”