Fabio Leimer has dropped out of the running at Sauber.
After paying hundreds of thousands of euros for a test with the team a year ago, the young Swiss was expected to return to the track for the forthcoming young drivers’ test in Abu Dhabi.
But according to the Swiss newspaper Blick, the 23-year-old GP2 driver has dropped out.
Indeed, Sauber announced last week that only 2013 hopeful Esteban Gutierrez, and new Renault World Series champion Robin Frijns, will be driving the C31 next month.
Blick speculated that Leimer’s backer Rainer Gantenbein might have pulled the financial plug.
"Leimer cancelled his young driver test with us. We do not know more," team boss Monisha Kaltenborn said.