Hockenheim: Sauber will stop development of their 2018 car and focus on next season’s after Sunday’s German Grand Prix, team principal Frederic Vasseur has said.
The Swiss-based team, who have close ties to Ferrari, finished last overall in 2018 but are currently ninth in the 10-team standings, three points behind Toro Rosso but 12 points ahead of former champions Williams.
The race at Hockenheim marks the halfway point in the season.
“At one stage, and that stage is next week, we will stop the development of the car because the new regulations are an opportunity for us,” Vasseur told reporters.
“So we will fully stop 2018 next week but we are focused on 2019 for months.”
The governing FIA announced in May modifications to front and rear wings and front brake ducts for next season that should make it easier for the cars to follow each other and increase overtaking.
Front wings will have a larger span, with winglets removed from front brake ducts and a wider and deeper rear wing.
Sauber’s two drivers are Monegasque rookie Charles Leclerc, tipped for a move to Ferrari next year, and Sweden’s Marcus Ericsson.
