SAUBER CONSOLIDATES COMPANIES
The Sauber Group has consolidated its Hinwilbased engineering and aerodynamics businesses into a new company, Sauber Technologies, to give customers the benefit of its Formula 1 expertise.
The organisation behind the Alfa Romeo F1 team, which celebrated 50 years in motorsport in 2020, had previously operated as three distinct entities to capitalise on its capabilities in cutting-edge design and manufacturing.
While Sauber Motorsport will continue running the F1 team that gave its new C42 a successful shakedown at Fiorano last week, the newly formed Sauber Technologies arm “will be fully focused on third-party business, providing a holistic service for complex engineering problems, from the idea stage to the finished products” according to a company statement.
Recent projects include the ultralightweight OT FOXX M1 wheelchair used by Swiss Paralympian Marcel Hug to claim four gold medals in the 2021 Tokyo Games, a hydropower turbine using CFD and 3D printing, and a potato harvesting system optimised for lightness and efficiency.
“The birth of Sauber Technologies is a logical step, yet an extremely exciting one, in the growth of our company,” said CEO Axel Kruse. “Having a standalone company incorporating the skills and know-how of its previous component entities and being fully dedicated to external customers allows us to offer not only world-class skills, but also an equal level of service to current and prospective clients. The team at Sauber Technologies is looking forward to bringing our innovation to the world.”
Meanwhile, Sauber’s F1 arm announced a new “multi-year partnership” with safety equipment supplier Sabelt, after concluding its relationship with Sparco. Italian company Sabelt, which celebrates its own half-century this year, has expanded its operations from manufacturing seatbelts to the creation of seats, safety nets and racewear. Its safety harnesses are used by several F1 teams, including Ferrari, Red Bull, Alphatauri and Haas.
Alfa Romeo F1 team principal Frederic Vasseur labelled the partnership “a very positive development for the team and the company as a whole”.