From GMM
With the Qadbak uncertainty now past and Peter Sauber back in charge, the Hinwil based team's Swiss founder says he is expecting to see the green light from the FIA on Monday.
The 66-year-old's newly announced re-purchase of the team he sold to BMW in 2005 will only be completed when the FIA confirms Sauber as an official entrant in next year's world championship.
"We expect the entry in the coming week," Sauber told the Swiss daily Blick, adding that the other forthcoming milestone is a signature on the new Concorde Agreement.
He added that the progression of the new car, the C29, is "very good", crediting a "better than ever" technical collaboration with Ferrari, to supply the engine and transmission in 2010.
The official team name likely to be announced by the FIA on Monday will be Team Sauber F1, with the competitor to be known initially as Sauber-Ferrari and to receive the final race numbers 26 and 27.
Jarno Trulli, Nick Heidfeld, Heikki Kovalainen, Kamui Kobayashi and Christian Klien are reportedly all in the frame to secure the two vacant cockpits in 2010.
"Also, there is Pedro de la Rosa," confirmed founder and owner Peter Sauber. "His testing experience with McLaren would be an advantage for us."
Sauber, 66, also admitted that the Russian GP2 driver Vitaly Petrov, believed to have between $10-15 million in sponsorship on offer to a 2010 F1 employer, is a possibility.
"If we were to take Petrov, the Russian market would be open to us by 2011," said Sauber. "That's worth thinking about."
The last Ferrari-powered Sauber was 2005's C24, raced by Felipe Massa and Jacques Villeneuve.
The driver selection should be known by Christmas.
With the Qadbak uncertainty now past and Peter Sauber back in charge, the Hinwil based team's Swiss founder says he is expecting to see the green light from the FIA on Monday.
The 66-year-old's newly announced re-purchase of the team he sold to BMW in 2005 will only be completed when the FIA confirms Sauber as an official entrant in next year's world championship.
"We expect the entry in the coming week," Sauber told the Swiss daily Blick, adding that the other forthcoming milestone is a signature on the new Concorde Agreement.
He added that the progression of the new car, the C29, is "very good", crediting a "better than ever" technical collaboration with Ferrari, to supply the engine and transmission in 2010.
The official team name likely to be announced by the FIA on Monday will be Team Sauber F1, with the competitor to be known initially as Sauber-Ferrari and to receive the final race numbers 26 and 27.
Jarno Trulli, Nick Heidfeld, Heikki Kovalainen, Kamui Kobayashi and Christian Klien are reportedly all in the frame to secure the two vacant cockpits in 2010.
"Also, there is Pedro de la Rosa," confirmed founder and owner Peter Sauber. "His testing experience with McLaren would be an advantage for us."
Sauber, 66, also admitted that the Russian GP2 driver Vitaly Petrov, believed to have between $10-15 million in sponsorship on offer to a 2010 F1 employer, is a possibility.
"If we were to take Petrov, the Russian market would be open to us by 2011," said Sauber. "That's worth thinking about."
The last Ferrari-powered Sauber was 2005's C24, raced by Felipe Massa and Jacques Villeneuve.
The driver selection should be known by Christmas.