Corporates triumph over privateers and F1 the poorer for it

Peter Sauber is a quiet man, at least in public. When I interviewed him earlier this season I didn't realise he had entered the room (although at the time I was chatting to Jacques Villenueve). When we sat down to talk he apologised for his poor English and then conducted an interview that was word perfect.

You suspect that there is an inner core of steel inside this mild-mannered persona. There was a hint of it after Sauber's debacle at Monaco when the two cars took each other out of the points. He summoned his drivers to his Swiss headquarters and blew his top.

In the aftermath of the affair he revealed he kept a unique tally of his drivers' ability 'I have a black book in which I keep a record of plus and minus points. And Jacques got some severe minus points for his manoeuvre in Monaco.'

Sauber have graced the F1 scene for more than 10 years now, a solidly midfield outfit and one of the dwindling band of privateer teams. That is going to change. BMW is buying the team and will be in charge from next year after the German engine maker ran out of patience with Williams.

Peter Sauber will be happy. His employees have a little more security and the team will make strides up the grid. The amiable Sauber will pocket a wad of cash to ease his retirement. But for the fan of F1 it is sad to see another privateer team bite the dust, swallowed up by the corporations.

The truly privateer team is becoming an endangered species. The purest of the species is Minardi. Paul Stoddart is a fiercely independent spirit and as a result a constant nuisance to the FIA in general and Max Mosley in particular. For this F1 fans should be grateful. The price you pay for this independence is a miniscule budget and a guaranteed place at the back of the grid (unless you're racing at Indianapolis of course).