29/08/2006
NEWS STORY
Former Toyota designer, Gustav Brunner (right), has until September 6 to decide whether he will accept a 1.3m (Euro) offer from Toyota in lieu of compensation, following his departure from the team in December 2005.
The Austrian was dropped as part of the restructuring of the team, a source telling Pitpass at the time that "with three groups running in parallel, one focussing on the current car, one concentrating on the next stage of development and the third looking at advanced design, the position of Chief Designer has become obsolete."
Brunner, who had been earning 2.95m (Euro) a year, plus bonuses, since joining the Japanese team in May 2001, originally sought compensation of 6m (Euro), however, according to a well placed source at Toyota, was only offered 3m (Euro).
When Brunner turned this down, and went to the German courts, Toyota revised its offer, and is now offering to hand over 1.3m (Euro).
Speaking in court last week, the presiding judge told Brunner that he has until September 6 to make a decision, failing which the judge will make his own ruling, on September 13.
Brunner was advised to think carefully, the judge warning him that if the decision is left in his hands the Austrian could end up receiving less.
Some of the more sensational stories to emerge from last week's hearing, including reports that the Austrian was given just ten minutes to 'clear his desk' and ordered to place his belongings in black plastic bags.
"Gustav was one of the old fashioned guys," a source told Pitpass, "he didn't use a computer, his office was bare, he could have cleared it in much less than ten minutes.
“Furthermore, he wasn't given a time limit, in actual fact we offered him the opportunity to take the leave he was owed or continue working."