For the first time since 1955 a Formula1 car has been driven in Switzerland. After the Le Mans distaster of that year, in which 84 people died, motor racing on circuits was forbidden in Switzerland, and race drivers such as Jo Siffert or Clay Regazzoni had to go into exile to continue their passion.
The Sauber team based in Hinwil, near Zurich, has never run a car in their home country since they started their Grand Prix programme in 1994 . On Monday that changed as the blue Sauber cars made their debut on home ground at the air force base of Buochs in Kanton Niedwalden. Test driver Enrico Bernoldi, who took pole-position in the F3000 race last Saturday at Barcelona, used a loop of two landing runways to test the car.
The young Brazilian carried out a gearbox development programme and thoroughly enjoyed his ride in the C19. "It was a little bit bumpy here," he commented, "but I experienced a further fantastic and solid impression of a Formula1 car."
Team chief, Peter Sauber, said that since he started his own racing career in a VW Käfer (Beetle) he did not have a romantic attitude to racing cars, but that rather he held a certain affection for military jets. "As a young man I had to do my miltiary service in 1962, and I choose to be in the airforce. Since then I have found jet planes fascinating," he said.
The commander of the airbase, where F 18 fighter jets are based, commented on his surprise that that several hundred spectators came to see and hear the Formula1 cars. "There is more interest today in Sauber's testing session than for our usual airshows. I am impressed by the Formula1 cars too, and I think I fell in love with them. Perhaps we have something to change here," he smile
this is good news. I can see that the swiss gov't is slaking down on it's non racing rules. Maybe, just maybe there might be a Swiss GP sooner than we might think!
