By Phil Huff
January 29 2003

Sauber Petronas boss Peter Sauber has said the new rules, introduced by the FIA on 15 January to liven up Formula One racing, are not radical enough. Sauber wants the sport to drop expensive self developed cars in favor of standardized vehicles straight off the assembly line.

"What speaks against the idea that every team buys a car from a company like Lola and then just sticks their own logo on it?" Sauber said.

"All the development costs will fall away."

Sauber said the move would reduce costs by at least two-thirds and drivers' skills would be paramount again since the cars would be equal.

TV viewers switched off from F1 in their millions last season, as Ferrari and Michael Schumacher dominated.

The sport's governing body FIA last week reacted by shaking up the rules.

They eliminated traction control and other electronic help hoping to give smaller teams the chance to match the larger teams.

But Sauber believes the new rules do not lower costs enough.

"We could cut costs in F1 drastically without the fans noticing anything. In fact, it's the opposite, the fans would profit from it," Sauber said.

He also said reports that Volkswagen would sponsor his team had gone no further than an occasional discussion of the subject with the German car company.

Source: BBC Sport