Jul.24 (GMM) Peter Sauber has reinforced his intention to return to retirement in the near future.

With the shock withdrawal of owner BMW late last year, the team's 66-year-old Swiss founder returned to the pitwall in 2010 to re-establish Sauber as an independent.

But at Hockenheim, he is quoted by Blick newspaper: "I will no longer be on the pitwall at 70. To be honest, I never imagined I would be here at 66."

A succession plan is already in the works, as Friday marked the first time a woman has appeared for the official FIA press conference.

38-year-old Austrian Monisha Kaltenborn is now the Hinwil based team's managing director.

"I hope my colleagues here are feeling fine as I am, since they have to get used to it!" she said, addressing her fellow team bosses Norbert Haug and Adam Parr.

The Sauber C29s are sporting '40' logos this weekend to mark the anniversary of the C1, a tubular-frame chassis built by Peter Sauber in 1970 to contest the Swiss hillclimb championship.

He said: "I want to lead the team back into a secure position and establish it at a good level. If I succeed, my mission is fulfilled."

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