The FIA is currently investigating Toyota's quit from the series, as the Japanese manufacturer earlier this season signed the new Concorde Agreement. The document stated that all signing teams are bound to the championship until the end of 2012. Breaking that commitment would attract and approximate $150m fine from the FIA, which Toyota are not planning to spend as a condition to leave the series.
In their effort to escape the penalty, Toyota will allegedly sell their entire F1 operations to Serbian outfit Stefan Grand Prix. The outfit has previously made an attempt to get into the 2010 Formula One entry list in August this year, but its application has been denied by the FIA. Stefan GP was one of the teams that launched a legal case against the ruling body as a consequence of their failure, insisting that the selection process has been illegal.
According to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport and Switzerland's Blick publications, Toyota is willing to get rid of their F1 operations at any cost, including selling the design of their TF110 to Stefan GP, as well as supplying the Serbian team with their Cologne facility and Toyota power plants for the 2010 and 2011 seasons.
Also, Kamui Kobayashi seems to benefit from $5 million in sponsorship for a potential campaign in 2010, which he'll more than kindly bring with him at Stefan GP. Toyota technical boss Pascal Vasselon is also linked with a move to the Serbian team, where he would join chief executive Zoran Stefanovic.
The FIA is to release a provisional 2010 entry list on Monday or Tuesday, but a final decision on the next year roster is expected to be made by the FIA in mid-December.
Google News