Team Red Bull-Sauber-Petronas is entering the 1997 Formula One season with a new elan,reason-
able optimism and a healthy portion of ambition.The main reason for this new enthusiasm within
race team from Hinwil is the new engine which will give the Red Bull-Sauber-Petronas C16 the
necessary boost on the race tracks around the globe.
"For us the agreement concluded in November 1996 concerning technical co-operation with Ferrari
is the most important step since our Formula One debut in 1993" Team principal Peter Sauber says.
"With the Sauber-Petronas V10 we now have a competitive engine allowing us to reduce the gap to
the top teams.It is equally important that we are now in the position to aquire our own engine com-
petence and to work independent of engine manufacturers` politics."
Neverthless a Formula One team such as Red Bull-Sauber-Petronas cannot perform wonders.
Compared to the competitors the new C16 has been exposed to the track at a very late date."Even
if all components should immediately work as desired,the late completion of our new car is
a great handicap," Team Director Max Welti emphasizes.
