Sauber has confirmed that their drivers will remain in place for next year. Kamui Kobayashi and Sergio Perez will continue to race for Sauber in 2012. Esteban Gutierrez will remain third driver for the Swiss team. In a first reaction Peter Sauber expressed his joy to keep both drivers: "We are very pleased with our drivers. Kamui has grown into his role extremely well this year. Though it is only his second full Formula One season, he is already taking on the responsibilities that naturally fall to the more experienced driver in the team. We are delighted with him at both a sporting and a personal level. We had an option of working with him in 2012 and there was never any doubt that we would take it."

Sauber explains that he's also very happy with the performance of his rookie driver Sergio Perez: "Sergio has achieved more than one could expect from a rookie. From the very first race he proved that he is capable of driving not only fast but consistently as well. And after the accident in Monaco he demonstrated that he can handle difficult situations too. From the outset we had already signed a contract with Sergio that went beyond 2011. With a rookie that always entails a certain risk, of course, but clearly it has paid off."

Kamui Kobayashi will enter his third season at Sauber and is very excited to continue the relationship with the team: "I’m very proud that I can drive another year for this team and I want to thank Peter Sauber and Monisha Kaltenborn for putting their faith in me and the guys for all their work. In 2010 we had a very difficult season and some tough times. We managed to overcome this because we are a strong team."

Perez, who has been linked with Ferrari, is happy to get the confidence of the team: "I want to thank Peter and Monisha that they trust me. Of course it is very good to have continuity and this way I can intensively prepare with my race engineer for what will be my second Formula One season. But for now I’m concentrating on finishing this season on a high. The summer break will be very good for me because since my accident in Monaco it has been a busy time."

Before the signing both Sauber drivers were linked to Felipe Massa's 2012 seat. Even though Ferrari has explicitly said that Massa will drive for the team in 2012 there were rumours of him being replaced. With their commitment to Sauber the position of Massa for 2012 seems secure.