02/10/2014
NEWS STORY
Caterham saga takes another twist as bailiffs admit confusion as to whether seized items will be sold.
As the F1 paddock in Suzuka awaits Typhoon Panfone a storm of an entirely different kind is raging in England…
Following yesterday's announcement that bailiffs had seized equipment from Caterham's Leafield HQ and that it would be up for sale in October, tonight the bailiffs have admitted uncertainty as to whether the sale will go ahead as planned.
"Developments are fast moving and at this stage it is unclear whether the goods will now be auctioned," admits the Sheriff's Office on its website. "We will update this page with the details as they become available."
The seized goods, which have been removed and are in secure storage, include a Caterham F1 test car (2013), Caterham F1 car parts (due for Japan 2014), Full size 6 DOF motion platform F1 simulator, Caterham F1 steering wheels, F1 wheels with tyres, high quality drilling & machining equipment, Caterham & Lotus F1 memorabilia, various pit lane equipment including jacks, pumps and starters, TVs, monitors and other goods and equipment.
Following Caterham's claim yesterday that action had been "threatened" against 1MRT, the entrant and owner of CaterhamF1, the Sheriff's Office confirmed that the writs it enforced were against Caterham Sports Limited.
However, with Caterham Sports Limited being a UK company owned by Malaysia-based 1MRT, one could say that yesterday’s statement from Leafield was all about semantics.
With the Sheriff’s Office pointing out that “should the sums due under the writs be paid, the goods will be released back to the judgment debtor”, one has to wonder whether Bernie – or rather the Middle East / Swiss consortium - has written a cheque.
Chris Balfe