The Renault F1 team has announced that it is beginning a consultation period about job losses at its Enstone base, the BBC reports. The team had been hit this week by the news of title sponsor ING´s withdrawal from the sport and the news comes amid uncertainty around the future of the team.
However, a statement released by the team denied that the job losses were connected with world carmakers´economic worries. The team blamed the sport´s recent cost reductions for the proposed cuts, which are likely to affect the aerodynamic department and the test team.
“Unlike other companies in the area this ‘restructuring’ of the team is not a direct consequence of the economic downturn but rather due to the change in the F1 Regulations.
“In fact, the jobs potentially made redundant are in the test team and in the aerodynamic departments, which were both affected by the new rules”.
Speculation around the performance level of the new R29 persists, however. It is thought that results on the track would stave off the pressure the team is under.
