When the wraps were pulled off of both single-seaters, observers noticed few sponsors on the Renault R30 and Sauber C29.
Renault
When Robert Kubica and Vitaly Petrov pulled the wraps off the 2010 livery on Sunday, observers noticed the name of watch maker TW Steel alongside French oil backer Total (and associated brand Elf).
"(The lack of sponsors) does not have to do with the fact that there are no ongoing discussions with sponsors -- I think that we will be announcing a number of things over the next couple of weeks," said team owner Gerard Lopez.
The Genii head also denied that team partner Renault intends to step out of F1 completely in the near future. "Certainly at this stage, there's no expectation from us that Renault would leave or that we would do something for them to leave and buy them out," said Lopez.
"There is no multi-year plan that has an ending to it. There's a multi-year plan that has a performance edge to it, but other than that it will be business as usual this year, next year and the year after," he added.
Meanwhile, Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports that the R30 presented to the media on Sunday was actually a show-car. Team engineers said the real R30 "is not much different" to the launch car, the publication added.
Sauber
When Pedro de la Rosa and Kamui Kobayashi pulled the wraps off the C29 at Valencia, many observers interpreted the blank look as a preliminary testing livery.
But closer inspection showed that one of Kamui Kobayashi's Japanese sponsors is already showing on the rear wing endplate, while the Swiss watch maker Certina's name is on the rearview mirrors.
"I hope there will be more -- I'm quite sure there will be more (sponsors) on the car in Bahrain, or no later than the beginning of the European season," team owner Peter Sauber told reporters at the Ricardo Tormo circuit. "We did not have much time to look for sponsors because we only started just before Christmas. It is also a very difficult time to find them, especially major ones (sponsors)," the 66-year-old Swiss added.
Sauber explained that the 2010 budget is fully in place, having reduced the operating budget by 40 per cent.
He also played down suggestions that Nick Heidfeld was overlooked as race driver because Kobayashi and Pedro de la Rosa are bringing sponsors.
"No," Peter Sauber answered. "It would have been possible to get drivers at a very low price, not just Nick, but other very good drivers.
"We currently have no sponsors with Pedro, although I certainly hope that in the future we will benefit from the Spanish market," he added.
Sauber also confirmed that there are no plans to drop 'BMW' from the official title of the team before the start of the 2010 season.
When asked if the departed German carmaker is still backing Sauber, or whether the reason for the unchanged formal name is due to the financial elements of the Concorde Agreement, he answered: "The latter is the case."
When asked if engine and gearbox supplier Ferrari objects to the continuing BMW moniker, Sauber said: "No. For most people it is ok."
Renault
When Robert Kubica and Vitaly Petrov pulled the wraps off the 2010 livery on Sunday, observers noticed the name of watch maker TW Steel alongside French oil backer Total (and associated brand Elf).
"(The lack of sponsors) does not have to do with the fact that there are no ongoing discussions with sponsors -- I think that we will be announcing a number of things over the next couple of weeks," said team owner Gerard Lopez.
The Genii head also denied that team partner Renault intends to step out of F1 completely in the near future. "Certainly at this stage, there's no expectation from us that Renault would leave or that we would do something for them to leave and buy them out," said Lopez.
"There is no multi-year plan that has an ending to it. There's a multi-year plan that has a performance edge to it, but other than that it will be business as usual this year, next year and the year after," he added.
Meanwhile, Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports that the R30 presented to the media on Sunday was actually a show-car. Team engineers said the real R30 "is not much different" to the launch car, the publication added.
 |
Sauber
When Pedro de la Rosa and Kamui Kobayashi pulled the wraps off the C29 at Valencia, many observers interpreted the blank look as a preliminary testing livery.
But closer inspection showed that one of Kamui Kobayashi's Japanese sponsors is already showing on the rear wing endplate, while the Swiss watch maker Certina's name is on the rearview mirrors.
"I hope there will be more -- I'm quite sure there will be more (sponsors) on the car in Bahrain, or no later than the beginning of the European season," team owner Peter Sauber told reporters at the Ricardo Tormo circuit. "We did not have much time to look for sponsors because we only started just before Christmas. It is also a very difficult time to find them, especially major ones (sponsors)," the 66-year-old Swiss added.
Sauber explained that the 2010 budget is fully in place, having reduced the operating budget by 40 per cent.
He also played down suggestions that Nick Heidfeld was overlooked as race driver because Kobayashi and Pedro de la Rosa are bringing sponsors.
"No," Peter Sauber answered. "It would have been possible to get drivers at a very low price, not just Nick, but other very good drivers.
"We currently have no sponsors with Pedro, although I certainly hope that in the future we will benefit from the Spanish market," he added.
Sauber also confirmed that there are no plans to drop 'BMW' from the official title of the team before the start of the 2010 season.
When asked if the departed German carmaker is still backing Sauber, or whether the reason for the unchanged formal name is due to the financial elements of the Concorde Agreement, he answered: "The latter is the case."
When asked if engine and gearbox supplier Ferrari objects to the continuing BMW moniker, Sauber said: "No. For most people it is ok."
 |