According to a statement issued by Sauber board chairman Pascal Picci, the parting of ways was ‘mutual’, and caused by ‘diverging views’ between the team and Kaltenborn.

While the process of appointing a successor continues, the team will be overseen by team manager Beat Zehnder and technical director Jorg Zander.

In a second statement issued just minutes after the first one, Picci strenuously denied media suggestions that the ‘diverging views’ attributed to Kaltenborn’s exit were related to a desire to favour Marcus Ericsson over Sauber team-mate Pascal Wehrlein.

"The owners and board of Sauber Motorsport AG take strong exception to speculative and widespread media reports today that our race drivers have not been, and are not being, treated equally.

"This is not only patently untrue, it would be contrary to the team's absolute and longstanding commitment to fair competition.

"These reports, attributed to anonymous 'sources', are highly detrimental to both Marcus Ericsson and Pascal Wehrlein as well as to the management and all staff of the Sauber F1 Team."

Kaltenborn, 46, was appointed team boss by founder Peter Sauber in 2012. She remains the only female to have served as a Formula 1 team principal.