Sauber could eventually become a full works Alfa Romeo team.
That is the vision of the Swiss team’s boss Frederic Vasseur, when asked by France’s Auto Hebdo about the new Alfa title sponsorship brokered by Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne.
"The company’s executives want to see a fully fledged Alfa Romeo team," Sauber team principal Vasseur said.
"At this time we use Ferrari engines, but our goal is not to be a subsidiary but the main Alfa Romeo team.
"However, there will still be a bridge between these two brands in the form of the driver composition and the testing base," said Vasseur.
Former Renault boss Vasseur’s comments are surprising, as just days ago Sauber founder Peter Sauber insisted that the Hinwil based team remains a F1 privateer.
Vasseur said: "Personally, I do not see how in the end a private team can survive in formula one.
"Private teams can have a couple of great seasons, like Force India at the moment. But with the slightest hint of a crisis, the whole illusion can collapse.
"Thanks to the cooperation with Alfa Romeo, our team is on a stable course," Vasseur added.