Strike means Sauber late to Silverstone

Jul.2 - Sauber mechanics are working overtime in the Silverstone pits on Thursday.

That is because, as of 6am, the Swiss team's trucks carrying the cars for Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson had yet to arrive at the British grand prix venue.

Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports that Sauber left Hinwil on time, but got held up in France during a Eurotunnel strike and blockade.

The transporters diverted, but got caught up in a four kilometre traffic jam, meaning mechanics are now racing against time to prepare the Ferrari-powered cars.

Meanwhile, team manager Beat Zehnder has hit out at some of the proposals put forward by the Strategy Group to spice up F1's future.

He told Speed Week that speeding up the cars by increasing tyre grip and downforce will affect overtaking.

"I don't think a TV viewer notices if a car is three, four or six seconds faster," said Zehnder. "Much more important is that the racing is exciting, but how does that work if the drivers cannot overtake?"

He also questioned the very credibility of the decision-making group, arguing that only 10 per cent of what it proposes is ever actually adopted.

"Let's face it: what have they done so far? Drivers cannot change their helmets. Drivers can keep their race numbers. Double points at the finale in 2014. All of this made the sport better?

"I've been in the sport a few years now," said Zehnder. "The big difference is that the team bosses also used to be the owners, but this is now largely no longer true.

"Today you have a lot of highly paid bosses who need to deliver results in a very short time," he charged, "and so they'll do anything for that. How much money is wasted doing it, they don't care.

"These people have little interest in what is in the long-term best interest of F1," Zehnder added.

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