Marcus Ericsson will continue his partnership with the Sauber F1 Team for a third season in 2017.
After joining the team in 2015 following his rookie year at Caterham, Ericsson will bring continuity to the Hinwil-based team, after a few rough seasons towards the back end of the field.
The only way is up for the Swiss outfit who are looking to get a strong boost after a recent buyout from the investment firm Longbow Finance.
“It is great news that I will be racing for another year for the Sauber F1 Team,” Ericsson said.
“We have had ups and downs, but we always stick together and work as hard as we can. Since the new ownership, there has been a positive push in the team, so it will also be exciting to go into this new era.”
“Many highly respected motorsport engineers have made the move to Sauber, a good sign for the future. For 2017 my aim is to build on my performance from the second half of this season and to continue working hard with the team.
“I cannot wait for the 2017 season so that we can make our way up to the midfield with the objective to score points on a regular basis.”
Team Principal Monisha Kaltenborn has been working furiously throughout 2016, in an effort to keep the team in business and to develop a long-term future.
Speaking on Ericsson’s stay Kaltenborn added: “We are very pleased to announce that Marcus will remain our race driver for the Sauber F1 Team in 2017.
“During the current season, Marcus has again shown he is willing to go that extra mile in order to make progress. He went through very difficult times with us but managed those very well.
“In the last two years, he has made significant steps in regards to his personal development, proving his skills on as well as off track, especially when circumstances are not easy.
“He is not only a good driver but also an important team player who understands how to work with the team and how to motivate everyone with his positive attitude. Formula One goes into a new era in 2017, and I am confident that we can count on Marcus to bring the team back into the competition.”
Ericsson took to twitter to relay his excitement to his fans around the world.
Twitter: Super happy and excited for 2017 together with @SauberF1Team !! Thanks for trusting me for another year #ME9 #F12017 https://t.co/XAvG6bkKAg (@Ericsson_Marcus)
