F1: Sauber in sales stake talks with billionaire Stroll

Sauber's future in Formula 1 could be boosted if talks with Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll (LEFT) to buy into the team are successful.

Stroll, who made his money in the clothing industry with Polo Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger, reportedly is interested in getting involved in F1 and has been in discussions with Sauber.

Stroll has a large collection of Ferraris and is a motor racing fan. He owns the Mont Tremblant circuit in Canada, and his son Lance is a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy and races in the Italian Formula 4 championship. Earlier this year he was linked with a potential purchase of shares in the commercial shares in F1 owned by Lehman Brothers.

If a Sauber deal is successful, it would further cement the strong links Stroll has with the team's engine supplier Ferrari, and offer an obvious place for his son's future motor racing career to develop.

Monisha Kaltenborn, Sauber's team principal, refused to comment on the situation when asked at the Italian Grand Prix.

The news of the Stroll's interest comes at a time when a number of F1 teams are facing financial struggles. Efforts to bring down costs through a cost cap or new regulations have failed, and most teams at the back of the grid are looking for new investors to boost their future.