In Imola, celebrated its 600th grand prix, from its humble F1 beginnings in 1993 by a rollercoaster of producer and unbiased stints earlier than morphing into the Audi works crew subsequent yr. One man was there for each single race, and as Sauber celebrated its anniversary, so did long-time sporting supervisor Beat Zehnder.
Zehnder has seen all of it: , BMW and Crimson Bull all coming and going, shock podiums and that magical 2008 Canadian Grand Prix win with Roberto Kubica – but additionally onerous occasions because the crew almost went bankrupt on a number of events. All good issues should come to an finish, and Zehnder’s streak of 601 consecutive races ends after Monaco because the Swiss veteran shifts to a factory-based position as Director of Signature Applications and Operations, serving to to develop the crew’s amenities and build up a take a look at squad.
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Spending 33 years within the paddock is spectacular sufficient, however it’s particularly curious for a person who wasn’t even into racing in any respect when he bought began, 59-year-old Zehnder tells Motorsport.com in wide-ranging interview on his storied profession.
Zehnder: “I served an apprenticeship as a mechanic engaged on the most important ship engines ever constructed. Enormous engines with over 110,000 horsepower, 14 metres tall. The humorous factor was that they have been constructed in the midst of landlocked Switzerland. Each time a collection of engines can be delivered to a ship – both a luxurious liner or an oil tanker – there was a mechanic travelling with the group of engines for 2 years. That is what I wished to do. I wished to see the world. Presently, they actually found out that it is cheaper to construct engines close to water and never in the midst of Switzerland, so the manufacturing in Switzerland was terminated.
Sauber competed in sports activities automotive with Mercedes-Benz earlier than becoming a member of F1.
Sauber competed in sports activities automotive with Mercedes-Benz earlier than becoming a member of F1.Sutton Photos
Sutton Photos
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“I at all times travelled by bike to work and someday I had a flat tyre, so I needed to take the prepare. There I noticed an advert from PP Sauber AG within the newspaper, in search of a race crew mechanic. ‘Be ready to journey the world.’ This was precisely what I wished, so I instantly referred to as him. He invited me for an interview and it lasted 10 minutes as a result of he thought I used to be too younger on the age of 20, with no expertise and never even an curiosity in motorsport. They have been competing in sportscar racing and I had no concept what they have been doing with these Group C vehicles. So, he was completely proper to show me down, however then it stored on bothering me and three weeks later I referred to as him once more. And he employed me instantly, as a result of he wanted folks to construct vehicles.” MS: Not lots of people would have referred to as Peter once more three weeks later, however you did not take no for a solution.
Zehnder: “Sure, it was most likely the toughest time for the crew, but additionally probably the most satisfying time. We have been a bunch of younger folks. I used to be worker quantity 9 in whole. We had Peter Sauber, a crew supervisor, a technical director and a secretary, after which 5 mechanics. We constructed up your complete automotive ourselves. Three weeks after I began, I needed to go to my first race in Jerez.” MS: Sauber was a frontrunner within the World Sportscar Championship backed by Mercedes, however then the producer pulled out and moved to as an engine companion in F1. That will need to have been a blow, however Peter Sauber then determined to hitch F1 as effectively.
Zehnder: “We did not see Mercedes’ choice coming. We had a superb venture going with Harvey Postlethwaite as technical director and Mike Gascoyne as his assistant. When Mercedes pulled the plug Harvey left. Mike stayed for a bit bit. As a consequence we did not race in ’92, however we ready for what’s coming, as a result of the infrastructure of a sports activities automotive crew was utterly completely different to F1.”
MS: In 1993 the crew was fairly aggressive right away. You completed seventh within the constructors’ championship with Karl Wendlinger and JJ Lehto.
Zehnder: “We did have half a yr to check, however sure, it was fairly good. Not too many vehicles completed that first race in Kyalami and hypothetically, Wendlinger might have completed on the rostrum however he had an electrical subject. It was rewarding, as a result of it was a really small crew and an terrible lot of labor. At the moment we have been round 120 to 150 folks.”
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MS: Then got here 1994, which was a darkish yr for Method 1. Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna have been killed in Imola, and Wendlinger additionally had a career-changing crash in Monaco. How tough was that yr?
Zehnder: “Oh, it was horrible. I wished to cease after Imola, as a result of I used to be new in racing and for me it was a totally new situation. And I knew Ratzenberger from sportscars. What made me actually offended was when Michele Alboreto’s Minardi misplaced a wheel throughout a pitstop. The wheel went like a bullet by Lotus and mechanics. Nobody was eager about stopping the race and or at the very least closing the pitlane to deliver ambulances in. They carried them off to the medical centre one after the other whereas vehicles have been going by. For me, this was not acceptable. I went to Peter, I shook him and screamed: ‘Cease the race!’. After the race I advised him I used to be out, however then Peter had lengthy dialog with me, and he satisfied me to remain.
“It grew to become even harder 10 days later, with Karl’s accident on the chicane in Monaco. I used to be standing subsequent to him after they took him out of the automotive after which instantly realised that it wasn’t wanting superb, as a result of he was shaking and had foam in all places. After which two weeks later we had getting damage in Barcelona. It wasn’t a superb time.
“However wanting on the constructive aspect, we have realized quite a bit from that second. We have been the primary crew operating with excessive cockpit partitions, which Peter was preventing for. Initially, the FIA did not need to allow us to run them as a result of the cockpit template would not match. After which Peter mentioned both you will permit us to run them or we will withdraw from the season. We misplaced about three or 4 kilometres of high velocity because of the drag. However in the long run, we satisfied FIA president Max Mosley they usually allowed us to race.”
Karl Wendlinger’s 1994 Monaco Grand Prix accident was a low level in Sauber’s existence
Karl Wendlinger’s 1994 Monaco Grand Prix accident was a low level in Sauber’s existenceMotorsport Photos
Motorsport Photos
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MS: Simply how essential was Peter Sauber at the moment?
Zehnder: “In some ways he stored the crew alive. Initially, he was a task mannequin. The identify Sauber means clear in German. He was good to his staff and he did not have yachts or luxurious vehicles. As a result of he was so right down to earth, he was actually good at convincing companions to hitch our venture.
“Possibly I am overdoing it a bit bit, however Toto [Wolff] is right here due to Peter. Peter introduced Mercedes again into worldwide racing, as a result of they stopped for 30-odd years after the 1955 Le Mans accident. Crimson Bull and Petronas have been on our automotive in ’95. With Crimson Bull we had a disagreement over a driver. Dr Helmut Marko was pushing for Enrique Bernoldi and out of the blue got here up, so there we cut up aside. However we additionally had Credit score Suisse, BMW… with out Peter and the best way he introduced the crew we might have folded a very long time in the past. ” MS: BMW pulling the plug after 2009 was particularly onerous for the crew. The story goes that you simply have been paying for lodge rooms out of your personal pocket at one level.
Zehnder: “When Peter offered the corporate to BMW, he was the proprietor of 33% of the shares. 67% have been owned by Credit score Suisse. With the proceeds Peter had from the shares, he had to purchase again 100%. And the leasing charge for the V6 was thrice as excessive because the V8, and this killed us.
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“And sure, the story is true. At 2016 pre-season testing we missed the primary take a look at, and for the second take a look at Peter mentioned we could not afford to go there. However to me lacking each exams was the identical as declaring chapter. So, I paid for the flights and the resorts for the second take a look at in Barcelona. And I assured with all of the bank cards I had that we might get rental tools for the primary race in Melbourne. I used my first bank card, my second bank card, the bank card of my spouse. She was not so proud of me… However I did get all of it again and Peter invested quite a bit as effectively, privately. This went on from 2013 to 2016, and at one level we simply ran out. MS: Till Finn Rausing’s Longbow Finance purchased the crew in July 2016. That will need to have been a reduction.
Zehnder: “Oh, completely. Finn was backing for a very long time, Bjorn Wirdheim as effectively, so we knew that he was taking it significantly. He was a fan. The primary time I met him I realised he knew extra concerning the historical past of Sauber than I did. He knew all about what Peter did within the ’60s and the ’70s. We have been very fortunate that he got here round.”
Sauber’s solely win got here as a BMW works crew on the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix with Roberto Kubica. Zehnder is pictured to the left of second-placed Nick Heidfeld. After the next season BMW pulled out as Sauber fought for survival as soon as extra
Sauber’s solely win got here as a BMW works crew on the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix with Roberto Kubica. Zehnder is pictured to the left of second-placed Nick Heidfeld. After the next season BMW pulled out as Sauber fought for survival as soon as moreMotorsport Photos
Motorsport Photos
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MS: Funnily sufficient, after Mercedes and BMW, Sauber is now becoming a member of up with its third German automotive producer following a few years of being an unbiased crew. Hinwil’s historical past has been an actual rollercoaster.
Zehnder: “It has, however for many of the groups it has been the identical story, besides for giant automotive producers. What number of occasions did Jordan change its identify? Fortunately F1 has modified massively and the groups’ market worth is now large. You’ve completely different prospects with a automotive producer, not solely the monetary backing. It is the procedures, techniques, instruments. It is a completely different world.
“Everybody in Switzerland and in Neuburg is aware of what’s at stake. We’re right here to win races. Not subsequent yr or the yr after, however now we have a transparent roadmap, and we are going to do all the things to fulfil it. We’ll make investments quite a bit in a brand new simulator, new simulation instruments. We employed 200 folks within the final two years and we will add one other 200, most likely, over the following 18 months. We’re additionally planning a brand new campus, as a result of if you wish to have 1000 staff you want area for them.” MS: While you replicate on these 33 years, what are a number of the standout recollections and tales? You could have fairly a number of…
Zehnder: “Sure, however most of them you’ll be able to’t publish! (laughs). was the funniest man we ever had. How he pranked the crew was unbelievable. Kimi Raikkonen was additionally particular. After 23 races in Method Renault he got here straight into F1 and on the first take a look at in Mugello he could not maintain his neck. It is most likely probably the most bodily brutal monitor there may be. He did two or three laps, after which he wanted a 45-minute break and a therapeutic massage from physio Josef Leberer. After which got here to us and mentioned: ‘Who is that this man? His automotive management is unbelievable.’ We went forward with him however advised him to do some bodily work with Josef first. He was so pissed off as a result of he had already deliberate some type of social gathering in Finland along with his pals. The primary two days, he would not discuss to Josef in any respect…
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“However Kimi was very centered. At his first race in 2001 he was nowhere to be discovered simply 10 minutes earlier than the pitlane opened for the reconnaissance laps. Seems he was mendacity underneath the desk with a blanket. After which he mentioned: ‘Give me 5 extra minutes!’ (laughs). He ended up scoring his first level in sixth and his reply was: ‘Nicely, there’s nonetheless 5 in entrance of me….'”
MS: Leberer, Ayrton Senna’s legendary physio, remained with Sauber from 1997 till his retirement two years in the past. You’re additionally nonetheless there. How essential is loyalty to you and Sauber?
Zehnder: “Clearly, I had gives from different groups over time. When BMW introduced that they have been taking on Sauber in 2005, it took about 5 minutes for Dietrich Mateschitz to name me with a job provide. However I used to be so grateful to Peter for giving me the prospect to develop myself, and Peter mentioned he wanted me to remain for the transition to a manufacturing unit crew. After that I had contact with different groups however the timing was by no means proper, I would not have walked away after we had these monetary tough occasions. Switzerland is a gorgeous place to be, and loyalty is essential to me.”
Beat Zehnder with Sauber’s new crew principal Jonathan Wheatley, who has joined from Crimson Bull the place he was the Swiss veteran’s counterpart as sporting director
Beat Zehnder with Sauber’s new crew principal Jonathan Wheatley, who has joined from Crimson Bull the place he was the Swiss veteran’s counterpart as sporting directorAndy Hone / Motorsport Photos
Andy Hone / Motorsport Photos
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MS: You mentioned you bought into being a mechanic since you wished to journey the world. It is truthful to say you positively bought your justifiable share of journey, then.
Zehnder: “You say that, however particularly with the calendar that now we have now there may be actually no time to journey earlier or keep longer. I have been to Melbourne over 25 occasions and I’ve by no means seen town. I’ve most likely been to Barcelona 100 occasions and solely made it to downtown Barcelona as soon as. You need to be residence every now and then as effectively.”
MS: As you put together for Audi’s official arrival you’ll not journey to each race after 601 consecutive grands prix. How do you’re feeling about such a giant change in your life?
Zehnder: “I do not know but. I’ve two choices. Both I’ve two TV screens at residence with entry to the technique instruments on one display and the published on the opposite. And I invite a number of pals. The opposite choice is I take a bit boat onto the lake of Zurich, ignore the race utterly and swap off the cellphone. We’ll see.
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“It is positively going to be a brand new half in my life. My spouse is completely satisfied. Am I going to cry? I do not suppose so. I’ve solely cried as soon as in racing and that was after we have been main the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1991 by three laps and we dropped out after over 21 hours. I’ll nonetheless go to races every now and then, as a result of I’ve some guarantees to fulfil, however Monaco is my final common race.”
MS: Is retirement even an choice for somebody such as you?
Zehnder: “No, no, no. I’ve an terrible lot to do. Really, I hoped that my new position is a bit bit extra relaxed, however since I am chargeable for your complete infrastructure for subsequent yr, like Audi’s new hospitality, we’re speaking about a number of tasks. Let’s have a look at what the long run brings. One factor is for certain: I do not suppose I’ll get bored within the firm! (laughs)”
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