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Adapted from GMM
Sauber could have an all-new driver lineup next year, as rumours of a radical shakeup for the struggling Swiss team gain speed.
Nico Hulkenberg, reportedly not paid by the Hinwil based team since May, has already confirmed at the Nurburgring that boss Monisha Kaltenborn is working to pull Sauber out of a financial crisis.
Now the German and his manager Werner Heinz have reportedly terminated the deal for breach of contract, meaning Hulkenberg could be free to leave Sauber at any time.
Rumours at the Nurburgring suggested Heinz has already been in talks with Lotus, while Hulkenberg has also been linked with a future move to Ferrari.
Meanwhile Speed Week correspondent Rob La Salle speculated that Sauber's 2014 lineup could see Russian Vitaly Petrov return to F1, alongside the Nicolas Todt-managed Felipe Massa or Jules Bianchi.
Todt - also a GP2 team chief and the son of FIA president Jean Todt - has been linked with a buyout, as has Chelsea football club's Russian billionaire owner Roman Abramovich.
The Bild joined Speed Week in reporting that one of Russia's wealthiest men, Boris Rotenberg, is also linked with the Sauber rescue.
Rotenberg, who co-owns the SMP bank with his brother, reportedly has close ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin.
It is believed Carlos Slim's Telmex has ruled out buying Sauber, which - given the Mexican company's expected move to McLaren - could be bad news for 2013 team driver Esteban Gutierrez.
Sauber could have an all-new driver lineup next year, as rumours of a radical shakeup for the struggling Swiss team gain speed.
Nico Hulkenberg, reportedly not paid by the Hinwil based team since May, has already confirmed at the Nurburgring that boss Monisha Kaltenborn is working to pull Sauber out of a financial crisis.
Now the German and his manager Werner Heinz have reportedly terminated the deal for breach of contract, meaning Hulkenberg could be free to leave Sauber at any time.
Rumours at the Nurburgring suggested Heinz has already been in talks with Lotus, while Hulkenberg has also been linked with a future move to Ferrari.
Meanwhile Speed Week correspondent Rob La Salle speculated that Sauber's 2014 lineup could see Russian Vitaly Petrov return to F1, alongside the Nicolas Todt-managed Felipe Massa or Jules Bianchi.
Todt - also a GP2 team chief and the son of FIA president Jean Todt - has been linked with a buyout, as has Chelsea football club's Russian billionaire owner Roman Abramovich.
The Bild joined Speed Week in reporting that one of Russia's wealthiest men, Boris Rotenberg, is also linked with the Sauber rescue.
Rotenberg, who co-owns the SMP bank with his brother, reportedly has close ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin.
It is believed Carlos Slim's Telmex has ruled out buying Sauber, which - given the Mexican company's expected move to McLaren - could be bad news for 2013 team driver Esteban Gutierrez.
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| Esteban Gutierrez, Sauber C32 (Photo: WRi2) |