Peter Sauber is more encouraged about his team's Constructors' Championship fight with Scuderia Toro Rosso because of the speed his car showed in Abu Dhabi, than the fact it now holds a one-point advantage over its rivals.
With Sauber locked in a close battle with Toro Rosso for seventh place in the Constructors' Championship, which could be worth around $3 million in prize money, both teams are aware of the importance of delivering a good result in Brazil this weekend.
Yet while the Swiss squad pulled out a single-point advantage in Abu Dhabi, Sauber says that more crucial than that is the fact that the C31 had the pace at the Yas Marina circuit to beat its rival.
"For me, the point was important for the championship, but the other thing is that the car was really fast," Sauber said. "You saw that – it was really, really fast.
"Sergio [Perez] with the hard tires and both driver with the soft tires were strong. In the end, Sergio went close to [Paul] di Resta, but in the end it was impossible to do better because he lost his KERS."
Sauber has said that the plight his outfit faces this year was similar to 2009 – when it was locked in a really tight tussle with Williams for sixth in the Constructors' Championship. In the end, it scored four points in the final round to guarantee itself the place.
"We had a similar situation then," he said. "We overtook Williams at the last race, because we were behind them and the situation was worse."
The fact the car is delivering some good pace at this stage of the season is great news for 2011, reckons Sauber, because the team will not be hindered by the disadvantage it has faced from not having an effective blown diffuser package.
"For me, looking forward, it was important the car was fast. It is the only car in this region of the grid without a blowing diffuser, and the rules for next season they change because all these blowing things are more or less forbidden. The next car will not be a revolution, it will be an evolution, and that is a good direction."
Sauber will not introduce any new parts for Brazil to help its Constructors' Championship chances, to improve prospects for an error-free weekend.
"The last update package was Suzuka," said Sauber. "I think for sure it is important to eliminate the mistakes."