Alle 00.16 del 6 novembre il comunicato: la Sauber ha scelto anche il secondo pilota per il 2015, Felipe Nasr, e il suo partner, Banco do Brasil. A questo punto, Adrian Sutil può lasciare le ultime speranze (ammesso che ne avesse ancora e non fosse già al corrente di tutto). Ma una cosa, vista anche l’ora, ci sta qui e non possiamo non dirla. Senza nulla togliere a Felipe Nasr, il fatto che un pilota arrivi in Formula 1 così, di botto potrebbe sembrare un miracolo. Non lo è, smettete di illudervi, ammesso che qualcuno si illuda ancora: anche lui, come tanti altri, arriva perché ha alle spalle uno sponsor ricchissimo, una banca addirittura… Altri, capaci, magari di più, resteranno fuori dalla griglia 2015, perché dotati “solo” di talento. Notare un’ultima cosa: non una parola di ringraziamento ai piloti attuali, che chissà come saranno felici…
Barbara Premoli
Di seguito il comunicato ufficiale del team.
“The Sauber F1 Team is pleased to announce Felipe Nasr as its driver for the 2015 season and Banco do Brasil as its partner. Felipe Nasr completes the driver line-up alongside Marcus Ericsson. The 22-year-old Brazilian was the test and reserve driver for the Williams F1 Team this year. Felipe is also participating in the 2014 GP2 series, in which he is currently lying second with four wins. In 2011 he won the British Formula 3 championship and finished second in the prestigious Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix. In 2009 Felipe became Formula BMW Europe champion in his rookie year. Banco do Brasil has been a partner of Felipe Nasr and has supported him for several years. Its logos will be visible on the side pods and at the back of the rear wing of the C34.
Monisha Kaltenborn, Team Principal: “We have been following Felipe’s career path for some time now, and he fully deserves his position in Formula One having had a very successful career in junior categories. We are happy that he will be driving for our team next year. This means that Brazil will have one more young and talented driver in the sport. Banco do Brasil has been an important partner for Felipe so far, and we are delighted that such a renowned company is contuing to support him during this important step. We look forward to this partnership.”
Felipe Nasr: “It is a very important step in my career to sign with the Sauber F1 Team for the 2015 Formula One World Championship. This is an unforgettable moment that I owe to all of those who have supported me – my family, my friends, my sponsors, my teams and my country. Today the dream has come true. Sauber was responsible for the arrival in F1 of great names such as Felipe Massa, Kimi Raikkonen, Robert Kubica and Sebastian Vettel. I am proud now to also be part of this racing family. I had a wonderful year at Williams Martini, where I learned a lot and prepared myself to be a race driver in Formula One.”
Hayton Rocha, Marketing and Communications Director of Banco do Brasil, emphasises that the partnership consolidates the positioning of Banco do Brasil as the Brazilian bank that invests in most sports: “The main objective of this partnership is to make possible the entry of a new Brazilian driver into Formula One. A sport that has a faithful audience in our country. Banco do Brasil believes in the potential of Felipe Nasr, considered by the specialists to be the most promising Brazilian in motor racing since Ayrton Senna. Apart from that, it is an opportunity to create a connection between our brands and symbolises our Brazilianness, modernity and technology.”
