Sauber Junior Team reveals driver line-up, programme

The new Sauber Junior Team has confirmed eight young drivers will join the programme in 2019 in partnership with Czech squad Charouz Racing System.

Former Red Bull and current Ferrari junior Callum Ilott headlines the new setup as he moves up to Formula 2 this season after finishing third in last year’s GP3 Series. Ilott will be partnered by American GP3 graduate Juan Manuel Correa in the Sauber squad’s F2 line-up which will be called Sauber Junior Team by Charouz.

Sauber Motorsport, which runs the rebranded Alfa Romeo Racing Formula 1 squad, joined forces with Charouz Racing System to develop its new young driver programme with the partnership set to compete in F2, F3 and F4 this year.

The team will field a three-driver line-up in the new-look F3 championship with Fabio Scherer, Lirim Zendeli and Raoul Hyman. In F4, Alessandro Ghiretti, Roman Stanek and Theo Pourchaire will represent Sauber’s junior squad.

Sauber announced its junior programmer partnership with Charouz Racing System last November. The new scheme is hoped to see the Swiss squad provide its F1 with promising youngster and help them reach the pinnacle of single-seater motorsport.

“The Sauber Junior Team is heading into the 2019 season with a strong line-up in the FIA single-seater categories – F2, F3 and F4,” Frederic Vasseur, Alfa Romeo Racing and CEO of Sauber, said.

“Our project was launched with the goal of passing on our experience to young drivers and providing a platform where they can successfully develop their skills and come closer to their dream of racing at the pinnacle of motorsport one day. We look forward to our collaboration and will follow the progress of these young talents closely.”

Charouz Racing has enjoyed distinguished single-seater success as the dominant squad across the final years of the Formula V8 3.5 series, winning the drivers’ and teams’ title in 2017, while it has also produced title-winning success in F300 International Masters.

With a new partner in Sauber, team owner Antonin Charouz is relishing a new start for his squad.

“It’s clear that the Sauber Junior Team by Charouz programme provides a unique opportunity for young drivers and I think we’ve brought together an extremely talented and determined line-up for 2019,” Charouz said.

“This is the beginning of an exciting new chapter in our team’s history and we’re looking forward to building on our recent race and championship-winning form in the F2 and F4 categories, as well as showing or strengths in F3, as part of our partnership with Sauber Motorsport.”