The possibility of Stefan Grand Prix, the odd and mysterious Serbian F1 team, taking over Toyota's entry on the 2010 team list remains a possibility, making the final owner of the much-coveted 13th team spot in the F1 pit lane next year uncertain.
It was expected that following Toyota's sudden withdrawal from the sport at the end of the 2009 season, that their place in the championship would be taken by the Sauber team, the official reserve entry on the FIA's list.
But with the FIA looking to hit the Toyota team with a financial penalty for withdrawing despite signing the new Concorde Agreement, which ostensibly guaranteed that they would remain in the sport until 2012 at the earliest, reports now suggest that the team will look to avoid a fine by selling their spot on the entry list.
According to both Blick and Auto Motor und Sport, the Toyota company could face a $150 million fine for leaving the sport, and the team believes that handing their entry to the Serbian team would help them avoid such a penalty.
The two publications speculate that Stefan GP would be given a supply of Toyota engines to use in 2010 and 2011 for 5 million Euros a season, and would initially be allowed to use the team's facilities in Cologne while Stefan GP build their own HQ.
Auto Motor und Sport further suggest that the Serbian team will take on Toyota technical boss Pascal Vasselon and former Toyota driver Kamui Kobayashi, who has personal sponsorship from the Japanese manufacturer, as part of the deal.
Stefan GP team boss Zoran Stefanovic had earlier dismissed speculation over them buying the grid spot, but did suggest that they were looking to seal a deal for Toyota's 2010 car design.
The potential for another option other than Sauber for the 13th grid spot in 2010 means that the FIA's entry list for next year will remain provisional until a World Motor Sport Council meeting next month, when they will finally have to decide which no-hopers they want on the grid along with the 12 confirmed teams.
The possibility remains that they could look to expand the entry list to 14 teams in order to accommodate both, though this suggestion was vetoed by Williams and other, unnamed teams earlier in the year when the Sauber team attempted to push for inclusion into the championship prior to Toyota's withdrawal.
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