“The Sauber F1 Team is pleased to announce Felipe Nasr as its driver for the 2015 season and Banco do Brasil as its partner. Felipe Nasr completes the driver line-up alongside Marcus Ericsson.”
And with that Sauber has finalised its 2015 driver line up with the 22-year-old Nasr to drive alongside Marcus Ericsson, who was announced by Sauber during the United States Grand Prix.
Nasr is currently the reserve driver for Williams and is competing in the 2014 GP2 series, where he has accumulated four wins and is second in the championship. He also won the 2011 British Formula 3 championship and joins former alumni in Jaime Algeursuari, Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne as title holders who have progressed to F1.
“This is an unforgettable moment that I owe to all of those who have supported me,” said the young Brazilian. “Today the dream has come true.
“Sauber was responsible for the arrival in F1 of great names such as Felipe Massa, Kimi Raikkonen, Robert Kubica and Sebastian Vettel. I am proud now to also be part of this racing family.”
The signing leaves current Sauber drivers Adrian Sutil and Esteban Gutierrez with uncertain F1 futures. The prominence of Nasr’s personal sponsor Banco do Brasil in the official team statement probably gives a clue as to why that may be the case. Although, Nasr’s achievements in the junior categories do look sound.
Sauber F1 Team announces Felipe Nasr as its driver for 2015
05.11.2014 – São Paulo. The Sauber F1 Team is pleased to announce Felipe Nasr as its driver for the 2015 season and Banco do Brasil as its partner. Felipe Nasr completes the driver line-up alongside Marcus Ericsson.
The 22-year-old Brazilian was the test and reserve driver for the Williams F1 Team this year. Felipe is also participating in the 2014 GP2 series, in which he is currently lying second with four wins. In 2011 he won the British Formula 3 championship and finished second in the prestigious Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix. In 2009 Felipe became Formula BMW Europe champion in his rookie year.
Banco do Brasil has been a partner of Felipe Nasr and has supported him for several years. Its logos will be visible on the side pods and at the back of the rear wing of the C34.
Monisha Kaltenborn, Team Principal:
“We have been following Felipe’s career path for some time now, and he fully deserves his position in Formula One having had a very successful career in junior categories. We are happy that he will be driving for our team next year. This means that Brazil will have one more young and talented driver in the sport. Banco do Brasil has been an important partner for Felipe so far, and we are delighted that such a renowned company is contuing to support him during this important step. We look forward to this partnership.â€
Felipe Nasr:
“It is a very important step in my career to sign with the Sauber F1 Team for the 2015 Formula One World Championship. This is an unforgettable moment that I owe to all of those who have supported me – my family, my friends, my sponsors, my teams and my country. Today the dream has come true. Sauber was responsible for the arrival in F1 of great names such as Felipe Massa, Kimi Raikkonen, Robert Kubica and Sebastian Vettel. I am proud now to also be part of this racing family. I had a wonderful year at Williams Martini, where I learned a lot and prepared myself to be a race driver in Formula One.â€
Hayton Rocha, Marketing and Communications Director of Banco do Brasil, emphasises that the partnership consolidates the positioning of Banco do Brasil as the Brazilian bank that invests in most sports: “The main objective of this partnership is to make possible the entry of a new Brazilian driver into Formula One. A sport that has a faithful audience in our country. Banco do Brasil believes in the potential of Felipe Nasr, considered by the specialists to be the most promising Brazilian in motor racing since Ayrton Senna. Apart from that, it is an opportunity to create a connection between our brands and symbolises our Brazilianness, modernity and technology.”
About Banco do Brasil
Founded in 1808, Banco do Brasil is established as a private, mixed-capital Corporation, whose controlling shareholder is the Brazilian government. Latin America’s largest financial institution in assets, reaching R$ 1,3 trillion in 2013, Banco do Brasil provides solutions, services and products in the banking, investment, asset management, pension plan, savings bond and payment means segments, among others, to its 61.4 million customers. Banco do Brasil has the largest in-house service network in Brazil among financial institutions. Abroad, the network consists of 49 of its own outlets located in 24 countries, in addition to 1,200 partner banks that function as correspondents in 134 countries.