MONACO (Reuters) - Sauber have tightened their links with Ferrari by appointing the Italian team's chief designer Simone Resta as technical director on Monday.
Swiss-based Sauber already use Ferrari engines and have Ferrari-backed Monegasque rookie Charles Leclerc as one of their Formula One drivers.
They also have Alfa Romeo as title sponsors. The Italian marque is part of the Fiat Chrysler group, whose chief executive Sergio Marchionne is also head of sportscar maker Ferrari.
Sauber team principal Frederic Vasseur said in a statement, a day after the Monaco Grand Prix, that Resta would start on July 1.
Sauber, currently ninth of 10 teams in the championship, parted company with previous technical director Joerg Zander earlier in May.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Christian Radnedge)