Toyota may shed 550 F1 staff

(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 rumors 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 programs 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.