Hinwil (Switzerland), July 29 (DPA) Team founder Peter Sauber admitted Wednesday that the BMW-Sauber team will struggle to maintain a presence in Formula One following BMW's decision to withdraw from the sport.

'BMW's announcement that it was pulling out of Formula One at the end of the season was a complete surprise for me. I respect and accept the decision but am still finding it hard to digest,' said Sauber, who formed Sauber in 1993 but is now a minority shareholder after the German carmaker took control in June 2005.

Sauber hopes to find a solution that enables Sauber to continue as a team with its headquarters in Hinwil, Switzerland but admits he is facing an uphill task, even with his 20-per-cent stake.