The Toyota-owned Fuji Speedway is close to withdrawing from hosting the Japanese Grand Prix next year, according to newspaper reports in Japan. The story has reignited speculation over the future of Toyota in the sport.
The redesigned Fuji track debuted as the venue for the Japanese round of the world championship in 2007, though a more recent deal would have seen Fuji share hosting responsibilities with the rival, Honda-owned Suzuka track, where this year's Japanese race will take place.But reports in the Asahi newspaper in Japan have stated that Toyota are set to cancel the contract in an effort to cut costs during the current financial mess that has hit Toyota's profits badly.
A spokesman for Toyota said to Reuters that the circuit owners were: "Taking various elements into account in their consideration towards hosting next year's Japanese Grand Prix."
The track has hosted a mere two races since it returned to the calender following an extensive, Hermann Tilke-planned, redesign of the layout, with Lewis Hamilton taking victory in the wet 2007 event, and Fernando Alonso winning last year for Renault.
The potential for Toyota to pack in the Fuji track has led to a fresh flurry of speculation surrounding the future of the manufacturer in F1. Their main rival Honda withdrew at the end of the 2008 season in an attempt to cut costs, while Toyota recently unveiled a crippling $4.4 billion loss for the last year.
The team did, however, lodge an initial entry to the championship on Friday, along with the other members of the Formula One Teams' Association, despite being one of the names to claim they would withdraw from Formula One over the current state of the budget cap regulations for 2010.
When asked whether he was concerned about the future of his employers, Toyota driver Timo Glock said that: "If I was to worry about that then I would not be concentrated enough on my job, and that would not help anybody." Which is all rather level-headed of him.
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