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The Zurich native has achieved the feat of establishing a Swiss racing team in Formula 1. Even at 80, he is still emotionally involved in the sport.
Switzerland actually didn’t have much to do with motorsport, but one man brought the world’s race tracks closer to our small country in one fell swoop. Peter Sauber founded the racing team in Hinwil, which still competes in Formula 1 today and designs its cars in the Zurich Oberland. Sauber is now celebrating its 80th birthday on Friday.
“I’m proud that this company, which I founded in Hinwil in 1970, still exists today and has continued to grow,” Peter Sauber told SRF.
The Zurich native has no longer worked in the Alfa Romeo team (as it is called today) since 2016, when the founder gave up all of his shares. But he can still be found here and there at the racetrack; motorsport remains his passion. “I am still very emotionally connected to Formula 1. I go to two to three races a year and otherwise follow them intensively on television,” says the 80-year-old.
“Le Mans was a great success”
Sauber was once a racing driver himself, but he quickly shifted his focus to designing cars – and with success. He celebrated great successes with his Sauber C models (the C stands for Christiane, his wife’s name), such as a double victory in the legendary 24-hour race at Le Mans in 1989. In 1989 and 1990 his team became sports car world champions.
In 1993, Sauber rose to the top class of motorsport and since then a piece of Switzerland has been part of the Formula 1 World Championship. Already in 1995, thanks to Heinz-Harald Frentzen, they celebrated their first podium finish in Monza, and in 2001 they finished 4th in the constructors’ world championship. For the founder, the Le Mans victory and the year 2001 are “the greatest successes”. The Swiss team also repeatedly attracted attention because world-class drivers took their first steps with them: Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Räikkönen, Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc once drove for Sauber.
For several years, “his” team Alfa Romeo has been in the lower midfield in the World Championship; the racing team is currently in 8th place in the constructors’ championship. However, it was only last Sunday in Qatar that they were able to do so for the first time this season both Alfa drivers finish in the points.
There is no Formula 1 race on the program this week, so there is a quieter birthday weekend for the Sauber founder. He said he had planned a few things and was celebrating his “round” in a private setting.