Official: Marcus Ericsson confirmed at Sauber for 2017

The situation of Sauber this year has been very complicated, and confirming the driver duo for the upcoming season wasn’t really a priority.

But after securing its survival, a budget, and an engine for 2017, the Swiss team began to tackle the tricky issue of drivers. And it comes as no surprise that Marcus Ericsson was confirmed today as a Sauber driver for next season.

The Swede, who appears to be linked to the consortium that acquired Sauber earlier in the year, is of course happy with this news: « It’s great news to know that I will drive another season for Sauber. We’ve been together for two years now and I really feel at home. I thank everyone in the team for placing their trust in me. »

Ericsson is aware of the challenges that still await him next season for what should be another transitional year with a Ferrari engine. We have had our ups and downs, but we have always stayed united and worked as hard as possible. Since the team’s acquisition, we have all had a boost. So it’s going to be exciting to enter a new era. In 2017, my goal will be to build my performance based on the second half of the current season. We can aim for the middle of the pack and regular points.

Optimistic remarks confirmed by Monisha Kaltenborn, the team’s sporting director: « Formula 1 will enter a new era in 2017, and we can count on Marcus to become competitive again. He is not just a good driver, but also an important team member who knows how to work with the team and how to motivate everyone with his positive attitude. »

The identity of the second driver has not yet been revealed, but it seems that the spot is being contested between Felipe Nasr and Esteban Gutierrez, who was recently let go by Haas in favor of Kevin Magnussen.