Over 500 Toyota F1 staff face the axe
5 November, 2009
Nov.5 (GMM) A Toyota staff member has told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport magazine that, following the announcement of the carmaker’s withdrawal from formula one, he heard rumours that only 150 employees will remain at Cologne for the next racing project.
About 700 staff currently work on the team’s F1 engine and chassis programmes in Junkersdorf, in the west of Cologne.
One option for the withdrawing owners of F1 teams is to sell the operation as a going concern, but team president John Howett said on Wednesday that he believes Toyota Motorsport GmbH will instead be scaled down in order to participate in “grassroots motor sport”.
Le Mans has been mentioned as a likely alternative.
Related posts:
- Toyota to announce F1 exit on Wednesday
- Toyota to announce F1 future next Sunday
- Howett: "Other teams more likely to quit than Toyota"
- Money obstacle to Toyota F1 future says boss
- Trulli says Toyota staying in F1
