Sauber eyes Russian Petrov for 2010 seat

(GMM) Jarno Trulli, Nick Heidfeld, Heikki Kovalainen, Kamui Kobayashi and Christian Klien are reportedly all in the frame to secure the two vacant cockpits at the newly-repurchased Sauber team in 2010.

"Also, there is Pedro de la Rosa," founder and owner Peter Sauber, confirming the newspaper's list, revealed to the Swiss daily Blick. "His testing experience with McLaren would be an advantage for us."

Sauber, 66, also admitted that the Russian GP2 driver Vitaly Petrov, believed to have between $10-15 million in sponsorship on offer to a 2010 F1 employer, is a possibility.

"If we were to take Petrov, the Russian market would be open to us by 2011," said Sauber. "That's worth thinking about."

Blick, whose veteran F1 correspondent Roger Benoit is famously close to Sauber, said the driver selection should be known by Christmas. We have updated our 2010 F1 Silly Season page above.