• 2010 Season

Toyota car missed opportunity for new teams - McLaren

ESPNF1 Staff
January 29, 2010 « Button dismisses Alonso's fuel-ban concern | »
Martin Whitmarsh thinks F1's new teams should have bought 2010 Toyota chassis © Sutton Images
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McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh said he was surprised that none of F1's new teams decided to take over Toyota's car design.

Toyota's 2010 chassis was at an advanced stage when the Japanese manufacturer decided to pull out of the sport in November, and in December it offered its designs for sale. Whitmarsh thinks the four new teams - US F1, Campos, Virgin and Lotus - missed a trick by passing up the Toyota option in favour of developing their own 2010 cars.

"Quite a lot of these teams had an opportunity to acquire a Toyota chassis." Whitmarsh said. "Toyota built two cars that were available from Christmas, and I am rather surprised that some of them did not do that - they rather looked a gift horse in the mouth. That was perhaps the wrong decision, but nevertheless they had their own reasons. We have to see in the coming weeks or months whether we can help those new teams to be there to add to the flavour and diversity of F1."

The Toyota designs were finally snapped up by Serbian outfit Stefan GP, which on Friday announced it had come to a "basic agreement" with Toyota to "receive technical supports from TMG [Toyota Motorsport GmbH]" as well. Stefan GP is hoping to race in 2010 even though it hasn't been offered a place on the grid. Owner Zoran Stefanovic has made clear that if his team is denied access for 2010 it will test extensively in preparation for a 2011 entry.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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