The Sauber F1 Team has announced that Adrian Sutil will drive for the team in 2014.
The German's move is a direct swap with Nico Hulkenberg, who announced his return to Force India last week.
The switch will be the first time Sutil has moved teams, as he made his F1 debut for Spyker - now Force India - in 2007. He was replaced for the 2012 season but returned this year.
The Silverstone-based squad confirmed their 2014 line-up on Thursday, announcing that Sergio Perez will join the returning Hulkenberg. Whilst Sutil has found a seat in F1, his team-mate from 2011 and 2013, Paul di Resta, could be forced out of the sport.
Sutil said on the announcement that he will remain in F1 for a seventh season: "I am very happy that we found common ground. Although I have known for a while where I wanted to go, in the end the negotiations took a bit longer than planned.
"However, now I will have all the more reason to celebrate during the Christmas season. I’ve been in contact with Monisha for a while and she always gave me the feeling my qualities are valued. After six good years driving for Force India, with a lot of highlights, it’s now time to embark on a new challenge.
"I am determined to do my part in order to have a successful future together with the Sauber F1 Team. The long and successful tradition in motorsport, combined with an impressive factory and one of the best wind tunnels in F1, have been fascinating me for a long time. Thank you to Peter Sauber and Monisha Kaltenborn for your trust in me."
Team principal Monisha Kaltenborn also commented on the news, saying: "We are pleased, that we were able to sign Adrian, particularly as we have been wanting to work together with him for a while. Adrian had already visited the factory at the end of September to have a look at the infrastructure.
"Adrian is not only very fast, but also brings a lot of experience, which is very important looking at the new regulations for next year. We welcome Adrian to the Sauber F1 Team and look forward to a successful collaboration."
Sauber confirmed that their second driver will be announced at a later date. It is thought that Esteban Gutierrez and rookie Sergey Sirotkin are the lead contenders, with Paul di Resta confirming recently that he has had talks with the team, although it looks unlikely that he will partner Sutil.
There are now just four seats left to be filled on the 2014 grid: One at Marussia, two at Caterham and the one remaining place at Sauber.
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| (c) Octane Photographic |
The switch will be the first time Sutil has moved teams, as he made his F1 debut for Spyker - now Force India - in 2007. He was replaced for the 2012 season but returned this year.
The Silverstone-based squad confirmed their 2014 line-up on Thursday, announcing that Sergio Perez will join the returning Hulkenberg. Whilst Sutil has found a seat in F1, his team-mate from 2011 and 2013, Paul di Resta, could be forced out of the sport.
Sutil said on the announcement that he will remain in F1 for a seventh season: "I am very happy that we found common ground. Although I have known for a while where I wanted to go, in the end the negotiations took a bit longer than planned.
"However, now I will have all the more reason to celebrate during the Christmas season. I’ve been in contact with Monisha for a while and she always gave me the feeling my qualities are valued. After six good years driving for Force India, with a lot of highlights, it’s now time to embark on a new challenge.
"I am determined to do my part in order to have a successful future together with the Sauber F1 Team. The long and successful tradition in motorsport, combined with an impressive factory and one of the best wind tunnels in F1, have been fascinating me for a long time. Thank you to Peter Sauber and Monisha Kaltenborn for your trust in me."
Team principal Monisha Kaltenborn also commented on the news, saying: "We are pleased, that we were able to sign Adrian, particularly as we have been wanting to work together with him for a while. Adrian had already visited the factory at the end of September to have a look at the infrastructure.
"Adrian is not only very fast, but also brings a lot of experience, which is very important looking at the new regulations for next year. We welcome Adrian to the Sauber F1 Team and look forward to a successful collaboration."
Sauber confirmed that their second driver will be announced at a later date. It is thought that Esteban Gutierrez and rookie Sergey Sirotkin are the lead contenders, with Paul di Resta confirming recently that he has had talks with the team, although it looks unlikely that he will partner Sutil.
There are now just four seats left to be filled on the 2014 grid: One at Marussia, two at Caterham and the one remaining place at Sauber.
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