Sources claim that Sauber has followed the example of McLaren, WilliamsF1, Renault, Toyota, Minardi and BAR, and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Grand Prix World Championship.

This means that only two of the nine 'rebel' teams - Jordan and Red Bull - have yet to sign, a tremendous boost for the GPWC, though as witnessed with a previous MOU between the GPWC, Bernie Ecclestone's FOA and the SLEC shareholders, these actually mean little.

Contacted by Pitpass on Monday afternoon, a Sauber spokesperson confirmed that the team has signed the MOU but was unable to give further details.

Sauber's decision to sign up, in the wake of Ferrari's shock decision to stick with Bernie Ecclestone and F1, is further proof of the 'rift' between the Swiss outfit and its engine supplier, a rift that (apparently) began when the Swiss team signed up to the cost cutting measures proposed at the Brazilian GP, a move that caused team boss Peter Sauber much discomfort.

In the last week the GPWC has gained much credibility, with several insiders admitting that they were very impressed with the breakaway series' recent presentation. One team boss has told Pitpass that the presentation was "very, very professional" and that the team behind the series has "clearly done its homework".