F1: Sauber retain duo for 2016

Sauber have announced that drivers Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson will remain with the team during the 2016 campaign.

It is the first time that the Swiss team have stuck with the same partnership for successive years since 2012 and it also ends speculation linking Nasr with a potential switch to Williams should their driver Valtteri Bottas join Ferrari.

The Zurich-based side have amassed 21 points from the opening nine races of the campaign after finishing the 2014 season pointless and they currently sit above Toro Rosso, McLaren and Marussia in the Constructors Championship standings.

Brazilian Nasr, who is enjoying his first season in Formula One, has gained 16 of those points largely thanks to an impressive fifth-place finish in the opening race of the campaign in Australia in March.

The 22-year-old has secured two more top ten finishes in China and Monaco since that success and he revealed that he is delighted to have extended his contract with Sauber and is looking forward to continuing his development with the Swiss team.

He said: “The extension to the contract with the Sauber F1 Team is an important step in my career. During the first half of the season, in what is my rookie year, I was able to gain a lot of experience from a driving perspective as well as on the personal side.”

Swedish driver Ericsson is also pleased to have extended his deal and he is keen to repay the faith the team have shown in him.

He revealed: “I’m very happy that the Sauber F1 Team has put its trust in my potential for another year.”

The duo will be in action at this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix, but Sauber are not expected to challenge for victory at the Hungaroring with current drivers’ championship leader Lewis Hamilton the 1.44 favourite to secure race victory.