In an interview with the media today, Sauber driver Adrian Sutil feels Sauber need to think beyond just beating Marussia if they hope to get into the points this season.
The Sauber team is in the midst of a pitiful campaign in which they have yet to score a single World Championship point. As a result, Sauber are behind Marussia in the Championship standings as the latter claimed two points in Monaco earlier in the year.
However in his interview with the media, Sutil insists it is not Marussia who Sauber need to focus on beating. Sutil stated the following:-
‘It’s not necessary really to focus on them because we need to score points. We need points and if we just focus on them and try to beat them then we’re not in the points.
‘It’s a little bit tricky because they did a really good race in Monaco – a lot of retirements there and they scored two points – but we have the faster car. We have much more speed.’
As Sutil points out, it is clear that Sauber need to score points before the end of the season in order to try and salvage something from this year. And that has to be their objective. Sauber need to ensure that they keep pushing and try to extract pace and performance from their car and try to score points.
As for what Sutil says about Marussia scoring two points in Monaco this year, it is clear that the circumstances surrounding the race (a lot of retirements) clearly helped them obtain this result, even if he feels that Sauber have a faster car than them. But the point is that Marussia took the chance when they did and Sauber haven’t been in a position to do the same, even if they might have a better car than them or not.
Further on in his interview, Sutil was asked if he was worried that Sauber may go through the final six races without finding themselves inside the top ten. Sutil added the following:-
‘Maybe, who knows? But it’s a shame that we only get points for the first ten. We’re close to the top ten all the time but Marussia is in front of us in the Constructors’ Championship. It’s not the real truth. But we push on, we have to get some points, that’s for sure.’
Even though Sutil is disappointed with where Sauber are this year, it is clear that he is still motivated to try and achieve some points before the end of the season. We have seen some improvements by Sauber over the past few races and as Sutil says they have been getting closer to the top ten.
But sadly that isn’t going to be enough to help them score points before the end of the season in Abu Dhabi. As I stated before, Marussia took the chance that came to them at Monaco and took the two points on offer. Sauber haven’t had the same chance even if they have been looking a little bit closer to points than Marussia since Monaco.
But all Sutil and Sauber can do now is to try and push everything that they have at their disposal to try and gain points before the end of the year. It will be difficult for them to achieve this, but now is the time for Sutil, Sauber and even Esteban Guiterrez to show that the impossible can be achieved and to never underestimate the underdog.
Question is; can Sauber score points in the 2014 season? I feel that the chance for Sauber has been and gone, but anything can happen in Formula One and there is still 6 races to go.
