From GMM
Sauber needs some more sponsors to ensure the C29 car can be properly developed, Pedro de la Rosa insists.
Four races into the 2010 season and still with a mainly blank white livery, the formerly BMW-owned team is struggling with poor reliability and lagging pace.
Team boss Peter Sauber insists the team has a guaranteed budget to survive the 2010 season. But when asked about Sauber's sponsorship situation, de la Rosa told the Swiss newspaper Blick: "This is a very important point.
"With each day it is more difficult to find backers for 2010, but without finances a normal development of the car is hardly possible," said the Spaniard.
Asked about the car's main problems, he answered: "There have been too many engine problems, and at the rear of the car something is not right -- it is too unstable. We simply must believe in our abilities and those of our new technical boss James Key. And also that luck might be with us sometimes as well."
Pedro de la Rosa returned to a full time racing role in 2010 after several years as McLaren's test driver, and it is already rumoured that Sauber is considering replacing him with a pay-driver on the basis of his initial form.
He admits it has been a trying campaign so far. "I knew that with Sauber, difficult work was awaiting me. But after the tests in February I didn't think it would be quite so hard."
Asked to nominate his biggest surprise of 2010, Sauber racer and F1 veteran Pedro de la Rosa answered: "For most people in the paddock it is Renault. The performance of the team, and particularly Kubica, has been sensational. In testing we were usually quicker than them."
In winter testing, Renault's was among the slowest of the established cars, with a single seater that closely resembled last year's uncompetitive R29. But after four races, the R30 is a healthy fifth in the constructors' standings behind the prominent top-four title protagonists.
Team newcomer Robert Kubica, now linked with a move for 2011 to Ferrari, has never been out of the final 'Q3' group this year, and was even on the podium in Australia.
Sauber needs some more sponsors to ensure the C29 car can be properly developed, Pedro de la Rosa insists.
Four races into the 2010 season and still with a mainly blank white livery, the formerly BMW-owned team is struggling with poor reliability and lagging pace.
Team boss Peter Sauber insists the team has a guaranteed budget to survive the 2010 season. But when asked about Sauber's sponsorship situation, de la Rosa told the Swiss newspaper Blick: "This is a very important point.
"With each day it is more difficult to find backers for 2010, but without finances a normal development of the car is hardly possible," said the Spaniard.
Asked about the car's main problems, he answered: "There have been too many engine problems, and at the rear of the car something is not right -- it is too unstable. We simply must believe in our abilities and those of our new technical boss James Key. And also that luck might be with us sometimes as well."
Pedro de la Rosa returned to a full time racing role in 2010 after several years as McLaren's test driver, and it is already rumoured that Sauber is considering replacing him with a pay-driver on the basis of his initial form.
He admits it has been a trying campaign so far. "I knew that with Sauber, difficult work was awaiting me. But after the tests in February I didn't think it would be quite so hard."
Asked to nominate his biggest surprise of 2010, Sauber racer and F1 veteran Pedro de la Rosa answered: "For most people in the paddock it is Renault. The performance of the team, and particularly Kubica, has been sensational. In testing we were usually quicker than them."
In winter testing, Renault's was among the slowest of the established cars, with a single seater that closely resembled last year's uncompetitive R29. But after four races, the R30 is a healthy fifth in the constructors' standings behind the prominent top-four title protagonists.
Team newcomer Robert Kubica, now linked with a move for 2011 to Ferrari, has never been out of the final 'Q3' group this year, and was even on the podium in Australia.