By alley - Jun 21, 2017, 8:48 AM ET

Kaltenborn leaves Sauber with immediate effect

Monisha Kaltenborn and Sauber have parted company with immediate effect, RACER has learned.

It is understood Kaltenborn – who was team principal and CEO – left after a disagreement with owners Longbow Finance, who took control of Sauber last summer.

Having joined the team in 2000 and become CEO in 2010, Kaltenborn took over from Peter Sauber as team principal at the end of 2012. Since then she has had to lead the team through serious financial difficulties, which also impacted on its on-track performances, with the team failing to score a point in 2014.

The acquisition by Longbow Finance saw both Sauber and Kaltenborn sell their shares, with Pascal Picci taking over as chairman from Sauber, but Kaltenborn retained her roles of team principal and CEO at the time.

However, RACER understands Kaltenborn has left the team completely, with multiple sources confirming differing views over the way the team was being run as being central to her departure.

The team has yet to respond to a request for comment, while Kaltenborn herself could not be reached at the time of publication.

Sauber currently sits ahead of McLaren in ninth in the constructors' championship with four points, courtesy of Pascal Wehrlein's eighth place in the Spanish Grand Prix.