The switching of his investment has cast doubt over the future of Sauber's other driver this year, Japan's Kamui Kobayashi -- who has no major sponsor.
Charles O'Reilly, at Stanford Business School, points out that this cast of mind may suit some employers at deal-oriented investment banks, for instance, or young Internet companies intent on selling out.
Rising costs in China have cast a shadow over many businesses in the country, and are seen as eroding its attractiveness for foreign investment, especially for labor-intensive manufacturers.