Careful with that axe Eugene! Apparently the Caterham Formula 1 team’s new owners are facing legal action from 40 former employees after the team fired them after taking over ownership from tony Fernandes.
According to reports, the new owners had a staff reduction inn order to try and get the team viable through cost reduction. Key figures such as Graham Watson, team manager, and head of track operations, Gerry Hughes, and technical director Jody Egginton were all part of the collateral damage.
The former staff feel the way in which they were fired is against UK employment law and are taking legal action including asking the FIA to review the situation.
On one hand you could argue that if you don’t have the cash to play in F1, then go home. On the other hand you could lay the blame at the runaway costs of F1 with the new power unit regulations and increased technology costs involved when it was promised that the costs would be reduced prompting the team to enter F1 in the first place.
You could argue several other scenarios as well but either way, the cost in human valuation is very real as these people have families that rely on the F1 world in which to make a living. The group of former employees released a statement:
“The summary dismissal of employees from Caterham was done without warning or consultation and will result in significant compensation claims against the team.
“Caterham has also reneged on promises that the employees would at least be paid in July. Lawyers for the group will take immediate action.
“It is understood that the employees, many of whom have supported the F1 team during its four years in the championship, will be requesting the FIA – as a responsible regulator – to fully investigate the F1 team’s conduct and the circumstances in relation to its recent change of ownership.”
Caterham have declined to make any statement to the press according to AUTOSPORT.
