JOBS at the Caterham Formula 1 team’s West Oxfordshire base are not under threat despite bailiffs seizing cars and parts there, according to its boss.

The Sheriff’s Office, which enforces High Court decisions, confirmed it raided Leafield Technical Centre on Monday and Tuesday.

But Caterham F1 team principal Manfredi Ravetto said yesterday: “We keep paying our wages, we keep our employees happy and we keep our suppliers happy.

“This is something we are proud of, that allows us to keep having things under control and to fight for our priorities, which is to keep the team running.”

Our top stories

 

Bailiffs took items including an F1 test car as part of action against Caterham Sports Limited, which operates the F1 team.

They were due to be auctioned this month, but the Sheriff’s Office said yesterday: “Developments are fast moving and at this stage it is unclear whether the goods will now be auctioned.”

Mr Ravetto, who denied the team would have any parts missing for this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix, added it was a “mistake” to stay in Leafield when Swiss and Middle Eastern investors took over the team from entrepreneur Tony Fernandes. That resulted in 40 redundancies in July.

  • Do you want alerts delivered straight to your phone via our WhatsApp service? Text NEWS or SPORT or NEWS AND SPORT, depending on which services you want, and your full name to 07767 417704. Save our number into your phone’s contacts as Oxford Mail WhatsApp and ensure you have WhatsApp installed