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Serbians.
Nice.
Holden vs Ford is the biggest rivalry in motorsport.
The future of Toyota will be decided next week. The cologne based team made an offer to the serb Zoran Stefanovich to take over the blueprints, engines and the equipment. He wants to start in formula 1 next year under the name Stefan GP.
Zoran Stefanovich wants to be part of the formula 1. He is involved in a company that produces military technology. To finance the formula 1 project is no problem for him, he told. But to get a starting slot for the f1 is now more difficult then even before.The 13th starting slot owns always Toyota, also they are not in the race for 2010.
Budget guarantee for 2010
The team in Cologne has offered in arrangement with the parent company in Tokyo, Stefanovich to take over all drawings in Toyota TF110 planned for the next year and to use the staff as well as the facilities in Cologne. The Serbian would get the reduction of Toyota free of charge. Nevertheless, he must guarantee the budget for the next year season.
Obvious the Serbian project has already found support of 50 million dollars. Till 2011 Stefanovich can shop Toyota engines for five million euros in each case per season. Toyota has another about 40 engines on camp. Toyota negotiators have information from auto motor and sport according to the already factory of Stefanovich in Serbia and were impressed by the high technical standard of the manufacturing arrangements there. However, the offer contains also that Stefanovich can use the facilities in Cologne during 2 years, before the team completely resides in Serbia. The group from Serbia wants to take over 200 of 650 employees in Cologne, in case of an arrangement with Toyota. One of them is technology boss Pascal Vasselon.
Kamui Kobayashi possible driver
Toyotas Kamui Kobayashi is under discussion as one of the drivers. However, the Japanese who would have drawn the attention with the sixth place in his second Grand Prix to himself is under discussion also with Renault and Sauber. Kobayashi would have a dowry of five million dollars of Toyota in the luggage. A decision should fall up to the 2nd December what explains, why the FIA has placed Toyota under reservation on the nominal list for 2010. They want to find time for world council meeting at the middle of December to check how serious the candidate really is.For Toyota would the takeover of the team by Stefan Grand Prix be the cheapest solution, even if they won't receive money for the achievements. Thats how Toyota could avoid a punishment by the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone because of the Concorde Agreement.
Refusal costs Toyota 150 million Euro
For the case, that the team completely disappears from the starting grid, Toyota has agreed on a penal payment with Ecclestone. The break of the Concorde Agreement should cost the Japanese up to 150 million dollars. For Sauber the takeover of the Toyota team would be bad news. Would add the FIA her blessing, the troop from Hinwil once more would have to take care of a 14-th place in the starter field. However, in addition the approval of all teams needs Sauber.
Toyota not planning to sell F1 entry
By Jonathan Noble and Dieter Rencken Thursday, December 3rd 2009, 12:11 GMT
Toyota has relinquished its F1 entry and has no intention of trying to sell it, AUTOSPORT has learned, even though there are discussions with new teams about taking over the design of its 2010 challenger.
The Japanese manufacturer announced last month that it was quitting F1 at the end of the season, and in recent days there have been rumours that it was looking to sell on its entry in a bid to avoid any punishment it may face for not competing.
However, high level sources at Toyota have dismissed any talk that Toyota is trying to get itself involved in the entry selection process - as discussions continue with the FIA and Formula One Management about drawing a line under its F1 involvement.
AUTOSPORT understands Sauber has been assured it will get the final slot on the grid instead.
The Toyota source said: "We have returned our entry to the FIA and have no intention or wish to influence or interfere in the allocation process. That is a matter for the Federation.
"We are discussing a settlement with Bernie on the basis of goodwill and what is acceptable to all parties."
Although there has been talk that Toyota could face a major fine for pulling out of F1, having signed the Concorde Agreement that in theory committed it until 2012, it is not clear how such a penalty could be enforced since the team would no longer be a competitor.
The source has also confirmed that discussions are ongoing with new teams about selling on the team's design - and perhaps leasing elements of the former Toyota team including pit equipment, engines and flight freight containers.
"We have offered the IP of our 2010 car for a nominal fee to some of the new entrants but none have accepted," said the source. "We have interest from Stefan GP but it is not clear if they will receive an entry or not."
Interestingly, the team is also offering Kamui Kobayashi as part of the package – with the Japanese driver having impressed in his two races for the team at the end of last year.
"We have asked if Kobayashi could be part of the package," said the source.
It's too bad Sauber had the Mercedes works deal when it was not a competitive engine. What might've been...
There's always the memory of this:
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