Sauber’s new boss says the Swiss team is targeting the front of the midfield for the future.
The 25-year-old F1 team almost collapsed in the last couple of years, but now with a new owner and former Renault chief Frederic Vasseur in charge, the future appears brighter.
"We have no ambition to beat Mercedes and Ferrari in the short term," Frenchman Vasseur told the French publication Auto Hebdo.
"But we do need to catch up with the private teams as soon as possible, such as Williams and Force India. It is necessary to be in the fight for the podium."
Vasseur said Sauber’s strategy for the medium-term is therefore no longer mere survival.
"Before joining Sauber I had to make sure the team has the resources and the ambitions," he said.
"It will be difficult to achieve something in the short term, but I think the basics are there," Vasseur continued.
"Compared to other teams, the facility is impressive, the wind tunnel is a good one, and I think the team spirit is comparable to what I saw last year in Enstone.
"Now that the financial structure is stabilised I think we can have some hope for the future."