Ferrari CEO Sergio Marchionne has revealed the team is considering the possibility of using its Formula One tie-up with Sauber to create a junior team for its young drivers.
Sauber renewed its long-term relationship with engine supplier Ferrari ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix after ditching plans to switch to Honda power for next season. The move has led to speculation that the partnership could become more than simply a customer supply, with new Sauber team principal Frederic Vasseur suggesting driver line-ups would be a point of discussion.
Ferrari has two emerging talents in the shape of FIA Formula 2 runaway leader Charles Leclerc and Antonio Giovinazzi -- who deputised for the injured Pascal Wehrlein at Sauber during the opening two rounds of 2017 -- it is keen to find space for on the grid. With the Italian team expected to keep its line-up of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen the same for a fourth consecutive year in 2018, it would have to look at alternative options in order to feed its youngsters into F1.
When asked about a potential junior team collaboration with Sauber, Marchionne replied: "It's an excellent idea and something we are working on. It's a very positive thing for us -- it's a chance to have a junior team. We have a pair of exceptional drivers we need to run. We need to find a place to lay the foundations for the Scuderia Ferrari of tomorrow."
Such an alliance would cast doubt over the futures of Sauber's current drivers: Mercedes junior Wehrlein and Swede Marcus Ericsson, with the latter linked to the Longbow Finance group that owns the Swiss team.
While Ferrari will continue to supply two of F1's 11 teams next year (Sauber and American outfit Haas), Marchionne said the Scuderia would be open to welcoming other customers, including any new entries to the sport.
"Maurizio [Arrivabene] has worked hard in recent months," he added. "Going forward we will expand the number of customer teams. Both with [F1 owner] Liberty Media with the FIA, we have made a commitment to give support to the teams that are going to come. The more there are, the better for us."